DELIGHTFUL BERRIES 329 



never introduced into cultivation, however, as 

 its merits were not quite equal to those of some 

 other varieties of different parentage. But there 

 is no doubt that if the experiments with the 

 Evergreen blackberry, of this or some other 

 hybrid combination, were carried to a more ad- 

 vanced stage, really useful varieties would be 



obtained. 



THE COMMON CURRANT 



Notwithstanding the importance of the Rubus 

 family, its members have by no means a 

 monopoly among the popular small fruits of 

 the garden. 



There is at least one other bush that may 

 claim to compete with the brambles in wide 

 range of habitat and in general popularity 

 among gardeners. This, of course, is the 

 familiar currant. 



The forbears of the currant grow wild, repre- 

 sented by various species in both Europe and 

 America. The wild red species, Ribes rubrum, 

 from which all our common cultivated red, white, 

 and pink currants, large and small, sweet and 

 sour, are descended, is indigenous to both con- 

 tinents. It has maintained its specific identity 

 remarkably through long generations, as the 

 close similarity of the specimens found wild in 

 Europe and America testifies. The more com- 



