THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 



249 



Bunyard, in his admirable history of the currant in the reference cited, also 

 gives dates and details as to the introduction of the several species of cur- 

 rants but into this we cannot go other than in the references accompanying 

 the botanical descriptions in the chapter on Systematic Botany of the Currant. 



There is little of interest or of profit to the pomologist in the history 

 of the currant in America. The earliest English settlers in Massachusetts, 

 as we have seen, brought this fruit to the new country. Probably the sorts 

 brought were the Red and White Dutch, and the fact that after three hun- 

 dred years we still grow these varieties is significant, — there have been few 

 attempts to improve the currant in America. The list of American varieties 

 is now larger than that of Europe, not because of the efforts of plant breeders, 

 but because the currant is grown over a vastly greater territory here than 

 in Europe, and new varieties have originated by chance in the varied 

 environments. 



The Prince Niu-series, Flushing, Long Island, in 1 770 offered to gardeners 

 three varieties. Large Red, Large White, and Large Black. In 1790 this 

 nursery was selling the same sorts. McMahon, in his American Gardener' s 

 Calendar, 1806, names the Common Red, Large Red, Pale White Dutch, 

 Large White, and White Crystal, but without description so that we cannot 

 know what they were. His directions for pruning, propagating, and culture 

 would answer excellently for currant culture in the modern industry. 

 McMahon tells his readers that currants may be " raised from seed and 

 improved sorts obtained thereby." Would that we could take the date of 

 this advice as the beginning of currant breeding in America, but intelligent 

 sowing of seed with the selection of seedlings seems not to have been begun 

 in the case of the currant in this country for another half century. 



Prince, the next pomological writer to mention currants, in his Treatise 

 on Horticulture, 1828, names seven kinds, all European, and although there 

 are no descriptions, the seven names, following English descriptions, stand 

 for but four distinct varieties. Downing in The Fruits and Fruit Trees of 

 America, 1845, describes eight varieties, not cotinting the Common Red 

 and the Common White, which he says " are totally undeserving a place 

 in the garden, when those very superior sorts, the White and Red Dutch, 

 can be obtained." White Dutch at this time was grown under five other 

 names and Red Dutch was listed under eight besides its true one. Down- 

 ing's book was revised in 1857 when twenty-five varieties were thought 

 worthy brief descriptions ■ — all from Europe. 



The first American student of varieties of currants to publish was 



