NAT. ORDER. — POMACE.E. 155 



The Currant being so abundantly cultivated in our gardens, ren- 

 ders it accessable to those who may wisli to be supplied with the fruit, 

 which from its grateful acidity, becomes universally acceptable, eitlicr 

 as nature has presented it, or variously prepared by art. From ac- 

 counts given of this plant by various writers, it appears that several 

 species have been found growing wild in Switzerland and some parts 

 of Africa — the Ribrs Ruhrum, Red Currant, Ribrs Nigrum, Black 

 Currant, Ribcs Albo, White Currant, Rlbcs Floridum, Ribrs Trifidum, 

 Ribes Rigcns, Ribes Triflorum, all of which possess nearly the same 

 properties. A very delicious wine is made from the expressed juice 

 of the Red Currant, with the addition of a little sugar, which sur- 

 passes in point of flavor and quality almost all other kinds. 



A very curious method has of late been discovered in the art of 

 cultivating the Currant, which adds greatly to its appearance and 

 beauty, and hence forms, not only one of the most useful, but one of 

 the most pleasing and beautiful plants that have ever been introduced 

 into our gardens. Early in spring a single stalk is cut near the ground, 

 and the largest branches trimmed off; the tip end is then cut and 

 placed some six inches into the ground, which takes root, and small 

 branches appear at the top which was once the root ; after it has 

 taken sufficient root^ the stalk is trimmed to where the new branches 

 make their appearance, and the plant assumes the appearance of a 

 small tree, the trunk entirely divested of succulent stalks, and the 

 branches laden to their extremities with the fruit. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The medicinal properties of Red 

 Currants appear to be similar to those of the other sub-acrid fruits, 

 which are esteemed to be moderately refrigerant, antiseptic, attenuant, 

 and aperient. They may be used with advantage to allay thirst in 

 most febrile complaints, to lessen an increased secretion of the bile, 

 and to correct a putrid and scorbutic state of the fluids, especially in 

 sanguine temperaments. 



