ON FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS. 243 



k seldom produces fruit : and the fruit, when it does appear, is a 

 red currant of small size and very little flavour ; the leaves are 

 large and handsome ; and the whole shrub, though seldom grow- 

 ing to a large size, forms a vigorous, healthy-looking and compact 

 bush. It is comparatively little known ; but it is sufficiently 

 common in the nurseries to be sold at a low price : while, as it is 

 quite hardy, it requires very little care in its cultivation. 



Ribes sanguineum, the red-blossomed currant, was introduced 

 in 1 826 ; and when we look at the immense number of these shrubs 

 lately planted in the Horticultural Society's garden, and consider 

 how many are scattered over the country, it seems scarcely cre- 

 dible that so short a time has elapsed since its introduction. The 

 history of this shrub is rather curious ; it was discovered about 

 fifty years ago on the north-west coast of America, by Archibald 

 Menzies, Esq., who was surgeon and botanist to the expedition 

 under Captain Vaucouver. But though this gentleman brought 

 specimens of the flowers to England, no farther notice was taken 

 of the shrub ; and it was never introduced till seeds of it were sent 

 home by Douglas in 1826. There is a variety of it now sold with 

 flowers of a fine scarlet colour. Kibes speciosum was discovered 

 by Mr. Menzies in the same manner, and specimens of it brought 

 home, though the living plant was not introduced till 1 829. The 

 flowers of the latter plant are scarlet, and bear a slight resemblance 

 to those of the fuchsia ; but they are too small, and too widely 

 apart to make so brilliant a show as those of Ribes sanguineum ; 

 the fruit of Ribes speciosum is a gooseberry, but it has no flavor ; 

 that of Ribes sanguineum is a black currant, resembling in appear- 

 ance and taste a bilberry. Ribes glutinosum is only a variety of 

 R. sanguineum, with paler flowers, and a slightly viscid stem. Ribes 

 malvaceum is another variety, with flowers that have a lilac tinge ; 

 and there is another variety of Ribes sanguineum, which is always 

 acknowledged to be such, and which has deep scarlet flowers. 



Ribes niveum, introduced in 1826, and Ribes cereum, in 1827, 

 have white flowers ; those of the latter species being sufficiently 

 large to be showy. The leaves of R. cereum are round, and 

 covered with a white waxy substance, whence the plant takes its 

 name. Ribes nivum is almost the only ornamental species of the 

 genus that has a palatable fruit ; it is one of those species which 

 form a link between the currant and the gooseberry ; it resembles 

 in form, colour, and manner of growth, a black currant, but when 

 cut open it is decidedly a gooseberry. It has a very agreeable and 



