1876. J REPORT OF SECRETARY. 75 



isles of the sea, and subjected to cultivation, side by side, under the daily 

 and close inspection of the appointed officers of the Society. Again, the 

 different sorts of Peas, of which vegetable the fecundity in England 

 seems something astonishing in its Protean shapes, are compelled to sub- 

 mit to a similar ciucial test. Of course it is not expected that results thus 

 obtained would be the same under different treatment and in dissimilar 

 soils. But imposture is detected, and the Parity of Varieties maintained 

 for the benefit and protection of honest gardeners. 



Mr. A. r. Barron, in his Report upon the Red and White Currants, 

 fruited at Chiswick, in the Gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, 

 A. D. 1875, demonstrates the soundness of the position so early assumed 

 and invariably upheld by your Secretary in his annual reports. " Names," 

 he says, '' exist in plentiful variety, but the fruits of all the kinds are very 

 " similar, so that it has been impossible to distinguish them. The varie- 

 " ties may vary to some extent, as to the size of the bunches, berries, 

 " their color, cropping qualities, &c., but as these are considerably affected 

 "by cultivation, situation, &c., their comparative and distinctive 

 " merits can only be ascertained when all the varieties are grown to- 

 " gether under the same conditions, as in the present instance. The 

 " collection, consisting of forty-five (45) reputed distinct varieties, was 

 " got together from various quarters, and represents most of the names 

 " to be met vvith in English nurseries, and a few of the French. Altogether 

 " there exist about sixty (60) distinct names as applied to the Red Currant 

 " and about fifteen to the White, so that the remainder have to be col- 

 " lected and described." Basing the classification chiefly on the " appear- 

 " ance of the plants, their foliage, habit of growth, &c.. which is very de- 

 "cided, distinct, and easily to be recognized," he concludes that there" is 

 " no means of distinguishing any of the varieties by their fruit alone." 



At Chiswick the Gloire des Sablons proved the same as the Gondouin. 

 The Red Cherry turned out to be identical with La Versaillaise, as your 

 Secretary always contended was the fact. But the neatest example of 

 the havoc which continued and exact experiment can make with pomo- 

 logical imposture is submitted, without abridgement, as follows : 



"Red Dutch: — (Synonyms — Fertile, Fertile d'Angleterre, Fertile 

 " dTalluau, Fertile de Berlin, La Hative, Hative de Bertin, Bertin No. 

 " 9, Belle de St. Gilles, Chenonceaux, Grosse Rouge de Bologne, Queen 

 " Victoria, Red Grape.") 



"This is one of the best varieties in cultivation — a most abundant 

 "bearer and ripening eaily. The bunches are long and the berries large, 

 " full and juicy, of a bright red color. The plant is of a dwarf and some- 

 '• what slender habit of growth, never attaining a large size. The leaves 

 "broad and flat, deep green, having a sort of metallous glaucous hue, 



