AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



411 



Curcuma continued. 



compost of loam and peat, in proportions of two-thirds 



of the latter to one of the former, to which may be added 



a little sand. Propagated by root divisions. 



C. albiflora (white-flowered).' fl. white, yellow. July. I long- 

 stalked, glabrous, somewhat plaited parallel to the nerves, deep 

 green above, paler beneath. A. 2ft Ceylon, 1862. (B. M. 5909.) 



C. anstralasica (Australian).' fl. yellow ; spikes many-flowered ; 

 upper bracts rose-coloured, forming a pretty crown to the inflo- 

 CBTllleao ) oblong - lanceolate > k ht green- Australia, 1867. 



C. cordata (heart-shaped).' /. reddish-yellow ; spikes central ; 

 bracte ovate-obtuse.; tuft at top of spike violaceous. July. L 



. . . 



' acuminat ? > dothed lky hairs. A. 1ft East 



C. elata (tall). /. crimson; spikes lateral. May. L sessile, 



villous beneath, green. A, 3ft East Indies, 1819. 

 C. leucorhiza (white-rooted). fl. reddish-yellow ; spikes lateral, 

 May ' L smooth . P 11 P^n. * lft - Eas* 



C. longa (long), fl., spikes central. August Z. long-stalked, 

 broad, green. A. 2ft East Indies, 1759. (B. M. PL 269!) 



C. pettolata(petiolate). fl. pale yellow ; spikes 5in. or 6in. long, 

 on a stout peduncle ; bracts rosy-purple, shortly ovate. Septem- 

 ber. J. rather large, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at the 

 base. A. lift Pegu, 1869. (B. M. 5821.) 



C. Roscoeana (Eoscoe's).' /. scarlet ; bracts bright orange ; spike 

 nearly 1ft long August L large, oblong, about lift across. 

 A. 1ft East Indies, 1837. A veryliandsome species. (B.M.4667.) 



C. rubrlcanlls (red-stemmed).' fl. red ; spikes lateral May. 

 {.stalked, oblong, with red sheaths. A. 1ft East Indies, 1822. 



C. Zedoaria (Zedoary). fl. red ; spikes lateral. April to August 

 1. broad, sessile, sUky beneath. A. 3ft East Indies, 1797. 



CURMERIA. Included under Homalomeua. 

 CURRANT (Ribes). There are three distinct types 

 of Currants in cultivation the Eed (see Fig. 572), obtained 



Flo. 572. FRUITING BRANCH OF RED Ccmuin 1 . 



from Eibea ru.bm.m-, the White, a variety of the same 

 species; and the Black (R. nigrum). Both species are 

 either natives of Britain, or have been introduced from 

 some other part of Europe at a period unknown. The 

 fruit of the Eed Currant is largely used for tarts ; it is 

 also preserved in the form of jelly, or mixed with rasp- 

 berries for jam. The White is generally less acid, and is 

 more used for dessert, with a few Eed ones intermixed. 

 Black Currants are almost wholly utilised for cooking and 

 preserving, and are supposed to possess medicinal proper- 

 ties not found in either of the others. The trees grow in 

 almost any position, and the crop is often a remunerative 

 one to cottagers, particularly near large towns, and also 

 to market gardeners. Currants are in great demand in 

 private gardens ; and, in this case, if the trees are planted 

 in different positions, and protected, the fruiting season 

 may be considerably prolonged. 



Currant continued. 



Propagation. Currants may be propagated by seeds, 

 cuttings, layers, or suckers ; and, in special cases, grafting 

 may be employed, using suckers or gross-growing seedlings 

 for stocks. Seeds are only sown for raising new varieties ; 

 but as the chances of obtaining improvements on those 

 sorts already existing, are extremely doubtful, this method 

 is but little adopted. Suckers are objectionable, as they 

 are often gross-growing and not free -fruiting ; they are 

 also very liable to reproduce suckers. Layers root easily 

 if the trees are dwarf and the shoots can be brought to 

 the ground in order to be pegged down ; but this mode is 

 seldom used, and is not here recommended. Propagation 

 by cuttings is the best and most generally practised plan. 

 These should consist of strong well-ripened young shoots, 

 taken off close to the old wood if possible. If a length of 

 from 12in. to 15in. can be procured, the cuttings should be 

 placed Gin. in the ground, first carefully removing the whole 

 of the eyes in this part, and also from some part of the 

 wood above ground, so as to form a stem. The earlier 

 they are taken in autumn after the wood is matured, and 

 inserted, the better ; but if this is not practicable, any time 

 when the ground is suitable, up till the end of February, 

 will be tolerably safe. The best method of putting in 

 cuttings is to dig a trench of suitable depth, somewhat 

 vertically, and place them about Gin. apart, afterwards 

 filling in and treading firmly. A space of 1ft. should be 

 allowed between the lines, and each other line proceeded 

 with in the same way after the first one is finished. 



Soil and Site. Being vigorous root-producing plants, 

 Currants do best in good rich loam, 2ft. or more in depth, 

 rather heavy than otherwise, so as to retain moisture. In 

 dry seasons, if they are growing in light soil and are not 

 kept watered, the fruit shrivels or ripens prematurely, 

 being in either case inferior. Any fairly good soil will 

 grow Currants of moderate quality ; but for large crops and 

 fine fruit, the conditions above mentioned are the best. 

 Manure water, applied when the fruit is swelling, will 

 increase the size, but often affects the flavour. Established 

 trees should have a good annual dressing of farmyard 

 manure or cowdung after the winter pruning, removing 

 a little of the soil round the trees and placing the manure 

 in, afterwards covering it with the soil. Eed and White 

 Currants are often cultivated on the back walls of lean-to 

 glass houses, or other similar positions, in order to prolong 

 the season of fruit supply as much as possible ; but the crop 

 from such trees can hardly be expected to have the flavour 

 of that more exposed to the sun. The bush form is invari- 

 ably adopted for Black Currants, and for the main crop of 

 the Eed. A space of 5ft. or 6ft. must be allowed between 

 the trees in the open quarters, and a south aspect should 

 be avoided, especially in light soils. Bush trees, 3ft. high 

 and as much in diameter, are sometimes grown alternately 

 with pyramid Apple or Pear trees, by the sides of walks : 

 and Currants trained as pyramids are also well adapted for 

 such positions. The earlier the planting can be done in 

 autumn, after the leaves are off, the better, as new roots 

 are then formed at once, and a crop secured the follow- 

 ing season, presuming the plants are large enough. 



Pruning and Training. For covering walls, a good plan 

 is to place young plants 3ft. apart, selecting the three 

 strongest shoots, and training one of them upright in the 

 centre, and the other two equidistant on either side, thus 

 placing all the main shoots 1ft. apart. Cut back if at 

 all weak, allowing them in course of time to reach the 

 desired height, and occasionally shorten all the laterals. 

 Bush trees should have a clean stem of Gin. or more at 

 the bottom, and from six to twelve main shoots, according 

 to the size of bush intended to be grown. Occasionally, 

 pyramids are formed by training one strong shoot to a 

 good height, shortening it each year, to insure the produc- 

 tion of spurs for fruiting. When trained in this way, 

 Currants have a fine effect, and are almost certain to pro- 

 duce good crops, which have the advantage of being kept 



