282 Report of the Horticulturist of the 



KED CUKKANT. 



Rihes riibrum, L. 



The commonly cultivated red currant is a native of northern 

 Europe and northern Asia. A form of this species is also found in 

 the northern part of the United States and in Canada,* but, so far as 

 I know, this wild American form has no representatives among culti- 

 vated varieties. In Europe the cultivation of the currant dates 

 back to the middle ages,f and the cultivated red currants are varie- 

 ties of European origin or seedlings of them which have been pro_ 

 duced in this country. 



Description of Varieties. 



Note.— Italics are used to designate synonyms and unnamed seedlings?. 



Cherry. — Bush vigorous, stocky and compact in nursery. The 

 young plants are upright but with age they tend to become more 

 spreading. It has a tendency to grow a single stalk and does not 

 sucker as freely as do most other kinds. There is also a noticeable 

 tendency to have imperfect buds at or near the end of shoots, especi- 

 ally on bearing plants. Sometimes two or three joints near the end 

 of the shoot have no buds. This is one feature that distinguishes the 

 Cherry from the Yersaillaise. It bears its fruit quite close to the 

 wood on short stemmed clusters so that it usually costs more to pick 

 this than it does other varieties. The clusters are rather short, about 

 two inches long. 



The fruit frequently varies from small to large in the same 

 cluster but averages large. It is not so uniform in size as Fay. The 

 color is a fine, bright red, much like that of Red Dutch. Berry 

 thin-skinned, juicy and fine flavored. On account of its attractive 

 color and large size it sells well for dessert use and it is also liked 

 at canneries. It is generally conceded to be one of the most pro- 

 ductive of the large currants. Season early. 



Eclipse. — From II. S. Anderson^ Union Springs, JSf. Y., 1892. 

 Bush a vigorous, upright grower. Bunches medium length, two and 

 a half to three inches long. (See Plate Y, figure 2.) Fruit varies 

 from small to large. It has comparatively mild acid pulp for a red 

 currant. Color good, somewhat lighter than Fay. It is not yet in 

 full bearing here so that we are not prepared to say how productive 

 it is. 



♦Torrey and Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1, 150. 1De CandoUe. Origin of Cultivated Plants, 277. 



