Vermont Shrubs and Woody Vines 89 



fmooth, ripening to a dull purple. It is sweet and edible, not in- 

 frequently cultivated and well worthy of further trial and im- 

 provement. 



SWAMP GOOSEBERRY. Ribcs lacustrc (Pers.) Poir. 



This is frequent in cold swamps and wet mountain woods. 

 It is an upright shrub of three to four feet, the young stems 

 clothed with bristles. The leaves are heart-shaped at the base 

 and deeply three to five lobed, this deep lobing distinguishing it 

 from any of the other species. The purplish flowers are open 

 bell-shaped. The berries are reddish, covered with weak 

 bristles, very small (one-sixth inch) and of unpleasant flavor. 

 The only use ever made of this is for ornamental planting in 

 wet soils. 



THE CURRANTS. 



RED CURR.\NT. Ribcs tristc Pall, var alhinenium (Mx.) Fern. 

 {R. rubriim L. var. siibglandulosum Maxim.) 



The cultivated red and white garden currants are descended 

 from the European red currant known as Ribes viilgarc. Our 

 native American variety diflfers but slightly therefrom except in 

 habit. It is occasionally found in cold damp woods or bogs. 

 Its general characters so closely resemble those of the famihar 

 garden currants that description here is needless. The berries 

 are smaller than the garden varieties, bright red and edible. 



The natural growth of this wild currant in cold, wet woods 

 explains why the cultivated currants do so well in cool moist 

 soil, with abundant fertility, and have preference for northern 

 exposures or even partial shade. 



BLACK CURRANT. Ribcs floridiim L'Her. 



The black currant is a more or less erect shrub found scat- 

 tered in woodlands. The conspicuous drooping clusters of 

 flowers followed by the rather large black berries render it easy 



