412 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Currant—continued. 
free from dirt, while those on bushes are often made very 
muddy by heavy storms. A large quantity of wood is made 
in summer, and this should be thinned and shortened, 
but not too severely, about the beginning of July. This 
will materially assist in ripening the fruit, by admitting 
more light, and also help to ripen the other wood. The 
winter pruning will consist in shortening the main shoots, 
where they have not attained the desired height, to about 
біп., and cutting all the young wood on the spurs nearly 
close in. This process applies chiefly to Red and White 
Currants. The Black varieties require different treatment, 
as in this case the fruit is produced on the wood of the 
previous year. Thinning out the old wood, and annually 
renewing with young, is the plan to be adopted. The 
leading growths will require but little stopping after the 
plants are in bearing condition; but any strong or mis- 
placed shoots should be removed. Black Currants should 
not be trained to fruit on spurs like the others, but they 
may be made to do so by subjecting them to the same 
system of pruning. The fruit for all purposes should be 
gathered, if possible, when dry. When required for pre- 
serving, it is better, if the weather is suitable, to wait 
several dry days before gathering. If for dessert, it is 
best gathered from the plants in fine weather as re- 
quired. The trees should be carefully netted, without 
RUN any open spaces, or the birds will be sure to find 
em. 
Insects, &е. Currants are subject to the ravages of all the 
caterpillars that prove so destructive to the Gooseberry, the 
trees being often entirely defoliated, excepting the petioles 
of the leaves. Hand-picking should be vigorously pursued 
as soon as any are detected, and the plants should be 
watered with an infusion of Hellebore leaves. Other 
caterpillars feed in the interior of the branches in spring, 
causing them to die away. The parts affected should be 
removed, and burned. Aphides are often found in large 
numbers on the points of the shoots; it is best to cut off 
and destroy these, or the insects will fall on the fruit, 
rendering it dirty and useless. Blackbirds and thrushes 
are the most destructive amongst birds as soon as the fruit 
= = 8 Сага ul the plants is the only efficient 
rotection, an is always necessary i it i 
hang late for dessert. , Ee cv куз iei 
„Sorts. Names of Currants are very numerous, but the 
distinct varieties are somewhat limited, a great many being 
either synonyms or insufficiently distinct. The following 
are amongst the best in cultivation : 
Black. BLACK NAPLES large and good, but, bei 
"aps ^ A ; ng early in 1 
: the ae is sometimes liable to suffer from deg frein, this ic 
and very acid; KNIGHT'S LARGE RED (| Goliath), 
nches gy t * 
T 'E, 
Tree variety ; OTH, one largest 
; RABY CASTLE, bun long and Ser, e д bright -g 
h acidity, an abundant-fruiting late variety 
AMPAGNE, а very prolific va. , of a 
r, midway in flavour between the and Wie? sorts ; 
H, one of the best and most productive, and probably 
most. tend Mi gon early, the berries are large, 
гана ot A ARNER’S GRAPE, a good | variety, 
Durcu, this is the best of the White Curran 
а dwarf, bushy habit, like the Red Dutch. d 
tries are large and freely produced, and of a 
WiLMor’s LARGE WHITE, a distinct variety. 
not so much grown as White Dutch, — ^" 
Козе. тт 
twining herbs s, forming a division of Convolvulace. _ 
CURRANT CLEAR-WING MOTH (Sesia tipuli- 
formis). This moth expands to about iin. The wings are 
clear, except the veins, a border round the hind wings, 
the tip, and a spot in the centre of each of the fore wings, 
which are blackish. The antenne are black, and are 
thickened towards the points. The body is black, with 
three fine yellow bands. The legs are black and yellow. 
Fia. 573. CATERPILLAR OF CURRANT CLEAR-WING MOTH 
(SESIA TIPULIFORMIS). ptu 
‘These moths appear in July, and fly only when the sam 
shines. The larve (see Fig. 573) live inside the stems of 
Currant-bushes, and their presence is indicated by the 
drooping, sickly appearance of the leaves above the points 
attacked. The infested branches should be cut off and 
destroyed, 
CURRANT, FLOWERING. Se Ribes san- 
guineum. 
CURRANT SAWFLY. See Gooseberry and 
Currant Sawfly. 
CURTISIA (named after William Curtis, a celebrated 
English botanist, who founded the “ Botanical Magazine ”)- 
Assagay-tree. ORD. Cornacee. А fine greenhouse tree. 
Calyx four-partite; petals four, oblong, valvate; stame 
alternating with the petals. Fruit a small obovoid | 
(rarely three) celled drupe. It thrives in a compos x 
sandy loam and peat. Half-ripened cuttings will root 
sandy soil, if placed under a hand glass, in gentle е 
К А М 1, very numerous, 
| opm LO oct ila, d une and July. 
L opposite, broadly ovate, toothed, shining above, fe wood 
beneath. A. 20ft. to 40ft. Саре of Good Hope, 1775. The woog 
is solid, extremely tough, heavy, close- , very durable, 8D 
resembles plain mahogany. me 
CUSCUTA (etymology very doubtful). Dodder. SIN. 
Pfeiferia. ORD. Convolwulaceœ. Leafless, twining, Pt 
sitio herbs. Flowers in bracteate heads, rarely spicate; 
corolla urceolate or campanulate; limb five, rarely four- 
cleft, marcescent. The stalks twine contrary to the § 
apparent motion, sending out a number of little The 
which attach themselves to the supporting plant. a 
flowers of many species are extremely pretty and inter ye the 
ing, and, in some cases, very fragrant; but, from os 
peculiar habit of the plants, they will never муз 
popular. АП may be grown by simply sowing the PU, 
with those of the plants they most affect, thoug? "A — 
thrive on almost any plant. The following aré 7 
best :—Srove: americana, Hookeri, odorata, and id i 
cosa. GREENHOUSE: australis, chilensis, тотоу, © 
reflexa. Harpy: macrocarpa, Epilinwm, Е 
europea, and Trifolii. The last four are British plants. e 
CUSCUTACEZE. А group of leafless,’ раган? 
