250 THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 



Andrew S. Fuller, in whose The Small Fruit CuUurist, 1867, we find an 

 admirable discussion, with very good descriptions, of the currants grown in 

 America. Twenty-eight varieties are listed with some forty-odd synonyms. 

 There is, as in all lists of currants from the first to the last, much confusion 

 in the nomenclature, and Fuller now makes an honest effort to set currant 

 growers straight as to correct names. He describes two sorts of American 

 origin, Bmst's Long-bunched Red, and Dana's White. Neither are now, or 

 ever were, of much value. Fuller relates an experience in obtaining Dana's 

 White that many collectors of currants could duplicate with other varieties. 

 He says that he obtained, from what he supposed to be reliable sources, 

 five distinct varieties under this name. 



Perhaps the next noteworthy contribution to our knowledge of 

 American-grown currants is foiind in a publication from this Station. As 

 early as 1882, the first year of the Station's existence, the beginning of a 

 collection of currants was made by the planting of twelve kinds. By 1890 

 this number had increased to twenty-odd varieties, all but two of which 

 were old European sorts. Now, however, a rapid development in currant 

 improvement began to take place. Between 1890 and 1895, fifteen cur- 

 rants, all of American origin, were added to the collection. True, some of 

 these did not come into prominence but others, as Wilder, North Star, 

 Red Cross, Eclipse, Ruby, and Pomona, made their appearance in this 

 period as sorts worthy widespread cviltivation. The first account of these 

 studies of the currant at the New York Agrictiltural Experiment Station 

 appeared in Bulletin 95, 1895, since which, imtil the present work, the 

 currant and its varieties have had but occasional mention. 



The next survey of the varieties of currants grown in the United States 

 appears in Card's Bush-Fruits, 1898. Card lists 58 varieties of red and white 

 currants with histories and descriptions as full as the data obtainable per- 

 mitted. Of these, 25 probably originated in America. Not all of them, 

 by any means, are under cultivation. Some of the names are synonyms. 

 A good many of the varieties, as Card says, have only received mention or 

 have been little known in the United States. This list includes only varieties 

 cultivated in America. 



The most thorough study of cultivated currants made in America up 

 to date is that of Paul Thayer, the results of which are published in Ohio 

 Station Bulletin No. 371, The Red and White Currants, 1923. Thayer 

 grew " more than 200 lots tinder 100 names." These, after much critical 

 study, he resolves into 41 major and about 180 minor varieties, of which 



