308 



CROWN BOB 



INDUSTRY 



CROWN BOB. Fig. 272. R. Grossularia. 

 Mildew, the bane of English gooseberries, 

 keeps Crown Bob from being a valuable va- 

 riety in America. It is one of the best goose- 

 berries in quality of 

 fruit, its rich vinous 

 flavor making it par- 

 ticularly delectable. To 

 have the fruit at its 

 best, picking must not 

 be hurried. Industry, 

 to which Crown Bob is 

 similar, is much freer 

 from mildew and should 

 be planted in preference 

 to this variety for mar- 

 kets. Crown Bob is an 

 old English sort long 

 grown in America. 



272. Crown Bob. 



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Plants dwarfish, spreading, 

 vigorous, very productive. 

 Fruit early, dark red, me- 

 dium to large, nearly round ; 

 skin thin, somewhat hairy ; 

 flesh firm, juicy, rich, sweet ; 

 quality good. 



273. Downing. 



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DOWNING. Fig. 273. R. hirtellumXR- 

 Grossularia. Downing is the standard goose- 

 berry derived from a native species, although 

 it is now agreed by all that :.t is a hybrid, 

 possibly secondary or tertiary, with the Euro- 

 pean gooseberry. The vines 

 are wonderfully vigorous, 

 healthy and productive, and 

 the fruits, although small, 

 are smooth, thin-skinned, at- 

 tractive in appearance, and 

 of very good quality. It is 

 grown more widely in Amer- 

 ica than any other goose- 

 berry. Houghton is often 

 substituted for Downing, 

 being more easily propa- 

 gated. The fruit must be 

 picked as soon as full size, 

 since decay sets in soon 

 after maturity. Downing 

 originated from seed of Houghton sown by 

 Charles Downing, Newburgh, New York, about 

 1860. 



Plants medium in size, very vigorous, very productive, 

 upright, dense-topped ; canes stout, somewhat resembling 

 those of European gooseberries. Leaves large, glabrous ; 

 margin crenate, somewhat hairy. Flowers midseason, 

 American type, green tinged with red. Fruit midseason, 

 small, round-oval, pale green with light bloom ; skin 

 thin and smooth ; flesh soft, juicy, rich, sweetish but 

 sprightly ; quality very good ; seeds small, numerous. 



FREEDOM. R. Grossularia. Freedom ap- 

 pears to be identical with Columbus in the 

 plants, and in size, shape, and color of fruit. 

 The two varieties differ, perhaps, in the fruits, 

 those of Freedom having a sweeter, richer 

 flavor and thinner skins. Freedom differs from 

 Chautauqua, if at all, only in slightly larger 

 and somewhat yellower fruits. The origin of 

 the variety is unknown. 



274. 



Houghton. 

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HOUGHTON. Fig. 274. R. hirtellumX 

 R. Grossularia. After Downing, Houghton is 

 the most widely and commonly planted goose- 

 berry in America. However, 

 the variety has several faults 

 and does not deserve its popu- 

 larity. Faults are: the fruits 

 are very small and uninviting 

 in appearance and taste; the 

 foliage is susceptible to mildew 

 and aphis; and canners, to 

 whom gooseberries are mostly 

 sold, do not like the fruit. 

 Good characters are: the plants 

 are very hardy, vigorous, and 

 productive; the variety thrives 

 under a great diversity of con- 

 ditions; the berries are rich, 

 sweet, and of excellent quality. 

 This is the oldest American 

 gooseberry of note, having originated with 

 Abel Houghton, Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1833. 

 It is probably a hybrid between a European 

 and an American gooseberry. 



Plants medium in size, spreading, very vigorous, very 

 productive; canes rather slender, drooping. Leaves 

 large, dark green, glabrous or nearly so ; margin crenate, 

 hairy. Flowers midseason, American type. Fruit mid- 

 season, very small, round-oval, dark red with light 

 bloom ; skin thin, smooth ; flesh firm, juicy, sweet and 

 rich ; quality very good ; seeds small, numerous. 



INDUSTRY. Fig. 275. R. Grossularia. 

 Whinham's Industry. By common consent, 

 Industry is given the place of honor as the best 

 of the European gooseberries in America. It 

 is one of the most vig- 

 orous varieties of its 

 class; rather more pro- 

 ductive than any other 

 European; while by no 

 means free from mil- 

 dew, it often passes 

 through a season with- 

 out much mildew, and 

 when infected, the fun- 

 gus is usually readily 

 controlled by spraying. 

 The large claret -red 

 berries, rich, sweet, and 

 delicately piquant, are 

 about the most inviting 

 of all gooseberries to 

 eye and palate. Picking 

 must not be hurried, if 

 color and taste are to 

 reach the condition 

 where nothing requisite 

 is wanting. Industry has 

 been grown in America for at least a half cen- 

 tury, and no doubt would be grown more 

 generally now, were it not difficult to propa- 

 gate. It is an old English sort. 



Plants of medium size, vigorous, upright, productive; 

 canes rather straight and stout. Leaves of medium size, 

 thick, dark green, glabrous except on ribs and veins. 

 Flowers midseason, large, borne singly. Fruit early, 

 large, 1% inches in diameter, round-oblong, sometimes 

 pear-shaped, smooth or nearly so, deep claret red with 



275. Industry. 

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