328 THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 



Dominion, i. A''. Y. Sta. Bui. 114:23. 1897. 



Received at this Station for testing in 1892 from E. C. Pierson, Waterloo, New 

 York. Plants vigorous, productive, free from mildew; fruit large, roundish oblong, pale 

 greenish white, nearly transparent, sweet; very good. 



Downing, i. Can. Hort. 1^:161, PI 1891. 2. A^. 7. Sia. St(/. 114:16, PI. II, fig. i. 1897. 



Downing's Seedling. 3. Horticulturist 12:462, fig. 1857. 



Of the sorts bred from an American species. Downing is now more grown in North 

 America than any other gooseberry', although it is now agreed by botanists and pomologists 

 that it is a hybrid with the European species. It is one of the easiest of all gooseberries 

 to propagate, and from the time of its introduction it has, therefore, been a favorite with 

 nurserymen. Fruit growers like it, also, because the plants are very vigorous, healthy and 

 productive, and although the fruits are small, they are smooth, thin skinned, rather attrac- 

 tive in appearance and of very good quality. To be at its best the fruit must be picked as 

 soon as full size is attained since decay sets in soon after maturity, and the product is seldom 

 found in the markets sufficiently well ripened to eat out of hand. The plants are rarely 

 attacked by mildew. Downing was originated about 1855 by Charles Downing, New- 

 burgh, New York, as a seedling of Houghton. The varietj' was added to the fruit catalog 

 of the American Pomological Society in 1862 and its name still appears in the Society's 

 catalogs. 



Plants above medium in size, vigorous, upright-spreading, rather dense, very produc- 

 tive, healthy; young shoots medium in thickness, numerous, with a thin layer of dull gray 

 scarf-skin over brownish red; prickles strong, short, numerous, of mediimi thickness, 1-3, 

 with bristles between the nodes, more nimierous towards the base of the canes; leaf -buds 

 medium in size and length, plump, appressed; leaves of medium size, with obovate lobes, 

 medium in thickness and color, glossy, smooth or somewhat rugose, with somewhat hairy, 

 crenate margins; petiole short, of medivun thickness, greenish, pubescent. Flowers early, 

 of medium size, 1-4; pedicels medium in length and thickness, glabrous; calyx-tube green, 

 glabrous; cal3Tc-lobes medium in length, width, and thickness, very lightly pubescent 

 beneath, green, tinged with red; ovary quite glabrous, shining, greenish. Fruit mid- 

 season; variable in size averaging medium or below, roundish, silvery green, dull; pedicels 

 short, thick; skin smooth, covered with bloom, thin, tough; flesh juciy, tender, aromatic, 

 sprightly becoming sweet; quality very good to best. 



Drill. I. Hogg Fruit Man. 125. 1866. 2. N. Y. Sta. Bui. 114:23. 1897. 



An old English variety, the Station plants of which are not vigorous and are very sus- 

 ceptible to mildew; fruit large, pyriform, smooth, yellowish, sweet; good. 



Duck Wing. i. Lindley Guide Orch. Card. 175. 1831. 2. N. Y. Sta. Bui. 114:27,. 1897. 

 On the Station grounds the plants are moderately vigorous, nearly free from mildew; 

 fruit medium in size, somewhat pyriform, with thin skin, smooth, dark green, tinged with 

 yellow and sometimes mottled with red; very good. 



Duke of Sutherland, i. Hogg Fruit Man. 126. 1866. 2. A^. 7. 5ta. Sm/. 114:23. 1897. 



In the Station plats, the plants of this old English berry are vigorous, but slow growers, 



nearly free from mildew; fruit large, oblong, mostly smooth, red, sweet; very good; late. 



