562 THE RED AND WHITE CURRANT. 



powder is needed, and the dressing is less effective. Unfortunately, in 

 many gardens the caterpillars are not observed until they have attained 

 a considerable size, and done great part of the mischief, when they are 

 also more difficult to destroy. Hand- picking is recommended in such 

 cases, but the mischief being already done, this only prevents the insect 

 from attaining maturity, which, no doubt, is an advantage, by lessening 

 the number of females for producing future broods. 



Forcing. The gooseberry has frequently been forced in Russia and 

 Germany, and occasionally in England. A low temperature and abun- 

 dance of air are the requisites to success. Plants in pots introduced 

 into a peach house in November will ripen their fruit by the end of 

 April, and form a pleasing variety to the dessert at that early season. 



The Red and the White Currant. 



The red and the white currant (Kibes rubrum, L. and R. r. var. 

 album) are deciduous shrubs, the red variety indigenous in England 

 and other parts of Europe, and the white variety produced from it by 

 culture. The fruit in a wild state is small and very acid, but in gar- 

 dens it has been increased in size and greatly improved in flavour. It 

 contributes to the dessert from the beginning of July to September, and 

 by matting up the fruit will hang on the trees till November or December. 

 Use. The appearance of large red currants at table is brilliant, 

 and contrasts well with dishes of white currants, and with green fruit, 

 such as apples, pears, and plums. The taste cannot be called rich, 

 but it is agreeably subacid and cooling. The red currant is much used 

 for jellies, jams, wines, to acidulate punch, and for tarts ; and con- 

 tinues longer in season, both for the table and the kitchen, than any 

 other summer fruit. 



Varieties. The best are the White Dutch, White Champagne, Red 

 Dutch, Knight's Sweet Red, which is less acid than the Red Dutch, 

 Raby Castle, Grape, La Fertile, Mammoth, Berlin, Cherry, and 

 Knight's Large Red. No selection can be better for a cottage garden, 

 or for a garden in the coldest part of the country ; but for display the 

 Champagne currant maybe added, which is large and of a very pale red. 

 The propagation and after treatment of the red and white currant 

 scarcely differs from that of the gooseberry. When the fruit is re- 

 quired to be large, only a limited number of bunches ought to be 

 allowed to remain on the branches, and the greater part of the sum- 

 mer shoots ought to be stopped several times in order to throw strength 

 into the fruit ; admit the sun and air to give it colour and flavour, 

 and also to ripen the wood. Even in general cultivation, stopping the 

 shoots in the end of June ought to be performed, as, by so doing, the 

 buds at the base are enlarged. The currant is very frequently trained 

 against a north wall, because there it ripens later, and is thought to 

 hang longer on the tree ; but its flavour in such a situation is inferior 

 to what it is when grown in the open garden, either as a bush, an 

 espalier, or a pyramid. The fruit should be gathered in a dry state, 

 it should not be heaped up on a dish till it is about to be sent to 

 table, Late in the season it is sometimes disfigured by cobwebs, 



