New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 313 



covered witb pubescence like that of Wellington Glory or Whitesmith. 

 Tlie canes are not stout like those of European gooseben-iea but are tall, 

 slender and often curved. The rather thin leaves have neither the leath- 

 ery texture nor the glossy upper surface which characterizes European 

 sorts. The buds, too, are shorter than those of typical Ribes Grossularia. 

 These, together with other less prominent characters, indicate the hybrid 

 origin of this variety. 



Downing. — This variety is generally conceded to be the 

 standard of excellence among gooseberries of the American class. 

 It is highly esteemed for home and market use not only in this 

 country but even in some parts of Europe where it comes in com- 

 petition with the handsomely colored, large fruit of European 

 varieties. 



The fruit, which has a diameter of about three-fourths of an 

 inch, see figure 1, plate XIV, is large for a native but would be 

 called small to medium when compared with European kinds. 

 It is roundish-oval, pale green and covered with a thin white 

 bloom. The skin is thin and smooth. The pulp soft, juicy, 

 sprightly and sweet, ranks among the best in flavor and quality 

 whether compared with native or European varieties. The 

 rather stout canes resemble somewhat those of European sorts 

 although more slender and often slightly curved. The bush is a 

 strong grower and very productive. At this Station it has aver- 

 aged almost ten pounds of fruit per bush for the last four years, 

 and one season the average was almost fifteen pounds per bush. 

 It is rarely troubled with mildew. 



Downing* says that the variety originated at Newburg, N. Y., from 

 seed of Houghton. The pure seedlings of Downftig which have l>eei! 

 grown at this station usually show a marked similarity to each other In 

 foliage and habit of growth and resemble the Downing in these characters, 

 but some of them have characters like Houghton and Pale Red while 

 others of them give evidence of European parentage so that we have good 

 reason for classing the Downing as a hybrid partly of native and partly 

 of European ancestry. 



Excelsior. — Received for testing from J. H. Haynes, Delphi, Ind., 1893, 

 with whom it originated. It is a seedling of Champion. Bush a strong 

 grower and has not mildewed here. Fruit light green, roundish, smooth. 

 See figure 41, plate XVH. It has not been tested sufficiently to justify a 

 description of the variety from specimens groAvn here. 



* FruitB and fruit trees of America 1890: 503. 



