314 Report op the Horticulturist ob" the 



Houghton. — This has long been a favorite variety in Ameri- 

 can gardens on account of its vigorous growth and productiveness 

 even under adverse conditions. It originated with Abel Hough- 

 ton, Lynn, Mass., and is generally thought to be of purely native 

 origin. Smith (Improved), and Downing are its best known seed- 

 lings, and both of them are hybrids of the native R. oxyacanthoides 

 and the European R. Grossularia. The canes are rather upright 

 or somewhat curved, with rather slender, drooping branches. 

 The fruit is small, handsome dark red with whitish bloom, thin 

 skinned, smooth, juicy, sv/eet and very good to best in flavor and 

 quality. See figure 7, plate XIV. 



Mountain. — This variety, which originated with the Shakers, 

 of Lebanon, N. Y., has long been in cultivation, but is compara- 

 tively little grown and should be superseded entirely by more 

 productive sorts. The dull brownish-purple fruit is somewhat 

 larger than that of the Downing, oblong, smooth, thick skinned, 

 moderately juicy, sweet. See figure 6, i)late XIV. The tall bush 

 has slender, sprawling branches which should be pruned short 

 and the bush kept well headed-in to secure the highest produc- 

 tiveness. 



This variety is of especial interest botanieally as it is tlie only cultivated 

 variety I know which has been derived from that native species which is 

 most commonly found wild in this and many other sections of New York 

 State, namely, Rihes Cynoshatt. It is clearly a hybrid between this and 

 the European species. The Ions slender solitary spines, see figure 3, 

 the tall canes, sprawling branches, dull brov\''nish-purple color of the 

 fruit, and the very dark green pulp are like Cyiiosbati as ajre also the 

 beautiful brown and red colors of its autumn foliage which are quite unlike 

 the yellow or occasional diill brown tints of the European kiinds. The 

 fruit is very large for an American variety and its skin is smooth and 

 thick which indicates Grossularia parentage, for the fruit of Cynosbati has 

 a thin skin usually beset with prickles. The glossy upper surface and 

 somewhat leathery texture of the foliage and comparatively short thick 

 buds are inherited from Grossularia for Cynosbati has slender buds and 

 soft, pubescent leaves which are not at all leathery nor glossy. 



Pale Red. — This variety, which has long been cultivated, is also 

 known bythe names American, Cluster and has several other syno- 

 nyms. It belongs to the smooth, reddish-fruited native species 

 R. oxyacanthoides, being quite similar to Houghton in the color 



