VARIETIES OF CURRANTS 445 ' 



late; clusters long, compact, tips filled rather poorly; fruit-stems long; 

 8-10 berries which are large, variable in size, round-oblate, dark red; flesh 

 red, firm, juicy, mild subacid; quality good; seeds large, numerous. 



WHITE CURRANTS 



709. White Dutch (Fig. 264).— The fruits of White Dutch 

 are the earliest and sweetest white currants, characters which 

 help to distinguish the variety; they are a little 



darker in color than those of White Grape. Un- 

 fortunately, the berries are not very large and are 

 not uniform, to offset which fault they are most 

 excellent in quality. White Dutch is an old Euro- 

 pean currant. 



Plants vigorous, upright-spreading, very productive; 

 suckers numerous. Leaves cordate, taper-pointed, rugose, 

 pubescent, with margins nearly serrate; petiole 21^ inches 

 long; flowers midseason. Fruit early; clusters short, me- 

 dium compact, tips poorly filled, with berries small to 

 medium, cling well, round-oblate, yellowish -white ; skin 

 thin, smooth, tender ; flesh white, rather dry, fine-grained, 

 mild subacid, almost sweet ; quality excellent ; seeds small, 

 rather numerous. 



Fig. 264. 



710. White Grape is distinguished by having White Dutch, 

 the largest cluster and berry of all white-fruited 



currants. The quality of the fruit is not so good as that of 

 White Dutch, being sourer and not so rich. Because of its hand- 

 some fruits and fill-basket qualities, it is the best commercial 

 white currant. Its history is unknown, except that it came 

 from Europe and has long been grown in America. 



Plants of medium size and vigor, spreading, sometimes sprawling, pro- 

 ductive; canes and branches rather slender. Leaves of medium size, thick, 

 soft, pubescent on lower surface, yellowish-green. Flowers midseason, B. 

 rubrum type. Fruit midseason; clusters long, tips filled poorly, loose, 

 berries 8-16; berries large, round-ovate, clear translucent white, not creamy 

 as is White Dutch; flesh firm, juicy, subacid; quality good; seeds large, 

 numerous. 



711. White Imperial. — The fruits of White Imperial are rated 

 as best in quality of all currants. The rich, almost sweet flavor, 

 makes it a choice dessert fruit. The plant characters are not 



