New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 203 



by the introducers of this fruit, Messrs. Ford 6z Sou. The fruit of 

 the plants received from Mr. Pierson is frequently one-half to three- 

 fourths of an inch long, broad towards the apex and tapering towards 

 the stem, making it somewhat pear shaped, while the plants from 

 Messrs. Ford tt Son have fruit more nearly round. Both varieties 

 have a strong teudenc}^ to sucker. Figure 23 is from a life sized 

 photograph of good clusters from plants received from Mr. Pierson. 



Jelly.— i</'om E. IL Blair c& Co., Kansas City, Mo., 1893. 

 Replying to an inqnry as to the origin of this currant Messrs. Blair 

 • & Co. wrote March 25, 1 893, as follows : 



" The Jelly currants were selected in western Kansas from 

 acres of them growing on the prairies ; but this variety being so 

 much superior was selected. We have fruited them and they are 

 yielding such heavy crops and fine quality for jelly, we think they 

 will be an acquisition to the currant list, specially in the west." 



As grown here the bush is tall, upright, with a tendency to form 

 more fruit spurs and fewer suckers than the Crandall. Fruit usually 

 borne in small clusters with leafy bracts. Berries medium to very 

 large, some being three-fourths of :in inch or more in diameter. 

 Skin thick, tough, with a bluish black metallic lustre like that of 

 Crandall. Pulp dark greenish yellow, seedy and with a peculiar 

 flavor less agreeable than the flavor of white or red currants but 

 more agreeable than that of the ordinary European black currants. 



Figure 24 is from a life-size photograph of good clusters of this 

 variety. The fruit is more uniformly large than that of Crandall 

 and the plants appear to be as productive as Crandall though not 

 so productive as ordinary red or black currants. So far as we can 

 judge from a limited experience with it, it is preferable to Crandall. 



While the varieties of the Missouri currant such as Crandall and 

 Jelly, may have value in localities where the commonly cultivated 

 currants do not thrive, as suggested in the letter of Messrs. Blair & 

 Co., yet we do not consider them worthy of cultivation where ordi- 

 nary currants can be grown. 



It is possible that in the course of time the improvement of culti- 

 vated varieties of the Missouri currant may result in the production 

 of late ripening fruit that will meet with sale in market because it 

 does not come into competition with the kinds now commonly found 

 in market. Considerable improvement will need to be made over 

 existing varieties before currants of this class are grown extensively 

 for market. 



