THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 303 



Boskoop Giant, i. Card. Chron. 3rd Ser. 32:381. 1902. 2. Jour. Pom. 1:77, figs. 14 

 &" 15. 1919. 3. Bunyard Cat. 26, fig. 1921. 



If Boskoop Giant can be purchased in America true to name, it is probably the best of 

 the black currants here as it is in many parts of Europe. The characters which recommend 

 it are very large, sweet, richly flavored berries and vigorous, productive bushes. The fruit 

 ripens evenly and is easily picked. The clusters are variable in size but average larger than 

 those of any other black currant, but are sometimes a little too loose. It is one of the earliest 

 of the black currants to ripen, although the flowers are late. The crop can usually be 

 gathered at one picking, and the berries hang -long on the bushes after ripening. This 

 variety was raised more than forty years ago by a Mr. Hoogendyk, Boskoop, Holland. 

 Later it was imported into England and was introduced in 1895 by George Bunyard & 

 Company, Alaidstone, England. Soon after it was brought to America. 



Plants large, vigorous, upright, healthy, productive; young shoots numerous; leaf- 

 buds pale dull gray with reddish tinge on those nearest the tips, large, long, obtuse, plump, 

 free; leaves large, deeply cordate at the base, with moderately short-pointed lobes, semi- 

 glossy, rugose, glabrous, with coarsely serrate margins; petiole of medium length, thick, 

 greenish. Flowers late, large, partly closed, dull greenish red, heavily pubescent on the 

 buds, in few- to medium-flowered, rather loose, drooping clusters; calyx-tube greenish, 

 tinged dull red, campanulate, pubescent, slightly resinous; calyx-lobes oblong, narrow, 

 acute, heavily pubescent, with tinge of dull red; ovary resinous, slightly pubescent. Fruit 

 midseason, ripens evenly; clusters often very long for a black currant, loose, with well- 

 filled tips; cluster-stems long, glandular, 8-14 berries; berry-stems long, medium thick, 

 glandular, heavily pubescent; berries variable in size, averaging large, cling well, roundish, 

 dull black; skin glandular, thin, opaque; flesh greenish, tinged red near the skin, juicy, 

 rich, sprightly becoming sweet, aromatic; quality very good. 



Brown Fruited, i. Fuller 5>n. Fr. C«Zi. 211. 1867. 



Russian Green. 2. Land. Hort. Sac. Cat. 67. 1842. 



This is a very old English sort with greenish brown fruit when ripe. Berries dry, 

 hard, astringent; worthless. 



Buddenborg. i. Can. Cent. Exp. Farm Bid. 56:16. 1907. 2. Am. Pom. Sac. Rpt. 287. 

 1921. 

 Origin unknown. Plants vigorous, moderately productive; bunches medium in size; 

 berries large; skin thick; pleasantly flavored; good; late. 



Champion, i. Card. Chron. N. S. 18:818. 1882. 



Black Champion. 2. Flor. & Pom. 174. 1881. 



Carter's Champion. 3, Jour. Hort. 3rd Ser. 13:250, 275. 1886. 



When the law permitted black currants to be grown in New York, Champion was one 

 of the favorites because of its vigorous, productive bushes and large, mild-flavored currants. 

 The variety has the fault of not ripening its crop evenly. The clusters are usually ripe on 

 some parts of the bush and not on others, so that several pickings are necessary. 

 It is a late sort. Champion was obtained by W. H. Dunnett, Dedham, Essex, England, 

 more than fifty years ago, probably as a chance seedling. Soon after its introduction in 



