LANCASHIRE LAD 



RED JACKET 



309 



lines of light flecks ; flesh yellowish-green, firm, juicy, 

 mild subacid, nearly sweet ; quality good ; seeds medium 

 in size, numerous. 



LANCASHIRE LAD. R. Grossularia. 

 This variety must be named among the half- 

 dozen best European gooseberries for Ameri- 

 can culture, being a favorite market sort where- 

 ever it succeeds. The fruits stand shipment 

 well and are pleasing in flavor, but unless per- 

 mitted to mature completely, are somewhat 

 austere. The most important consideration is 

 that the plants are comparatively little in- 

 fected by mildew. Lancashire Lad is an old 

 English sort long grown in America. 



OREGON. R. hirtellum X R. Grossularia. 

 Oregon Champion. Resembling Downing, of 

 which it is probably a seedling, this variety 

 appears to have merits not possessed by its 

 parent in some regions. Thus, it is strongly 

 recommended in the Pacific Northwest and in 

 Indiana. On the grounds of the Experiment 

 Station, Geneva, New York, it is similar in 

 plant and fruit to Downing, differing in the 

 plants being slightly more productive, while 

 the fruits are yellower at maturity and later 

 in season. The description of Downing answers 

 for this variety, except in the characters 

 named. Oregon is said to thrive under 

 neglect rather better than most other goose- 

 berries. The variety originated with O. D. 

 Dickinson, Salem, Oregon, sometime previous 

 to 1880, when it seems to have been first de- 

 scribed. 



PALE RED. Fig. 276. R. hirtellum. 

 American Cluster. Cluster. Ohio Prolific. 

 Now seldom to be found, Pale Red is worthy 

 of notice only because it is the sole pure-bred 

 representative of R. hirtellum, and 

 also one of the oldest American 

 varieties under cultivation. It has 

 many synonyms, of which Cluster 

 and American Cluster are most 

 often used. The vigorous, produc- 

 tive plants and the tender, sweet 

 berries commend the variety. The 

 276. berries, however, are quite too 

 Pale Red. small for present demands, and if 

 (XI) Pale Red has any value, it is as 

 a parent to cross with some large- 

 fruited sort to produce a variety of high qual- 

 ity. When and where Pale Red originated is 

 not known, but it has been grown for at least 

 a century. 



PEARL. R. hirtellum X R. Grossularia. 

 Although distinct. Pearl is so similar to 

 Downing, one of its parents, that a separate 

 description is not necessary. The two varie- 

 ties have been tested side by side many times, 

 and all making the comparison agree that 

 Pearl differs from Downing only in the fruits, 

 which have a slightly different flavor and may 

 be larger; possibly the plants are somewhat 



277. Poorman. 



(XD 



more productive. Even with the points of 

 superiority, the cultivation of Pearl is not 

 worth pushing, as there are several better 

 varieties. Pearl originated with Wm. Saun- 

 ders, London, Ontario, from seed of Downing 

 pollinated by Aston's Seedling, a European 

 sort. It was introduced about 1885. 



POORMAN. Fig. 277. R. hirtellum X R. 

 Grossularia. At once attracting attention on 

 account of the vigor and productiveness of the 

 bushes and the handsome appearance and high 

 quality of the fruit, plants 

 and berries of Poorman give 

 it a place as the leader 

 among gooseberries grown 

 in America. The vigor of 

 the variety is so great that 

 the plants must be set far- 

 ther apart than with most 

 kinds. The berries are larger 

 than those of Downing, best 

 known of American sorts, 

 more oval, and red instead 

 of green; their quality is 

 excellent. The variety orig- 

 inated about 1890, with W. 

 H. Craighead, Brigham City, 

 Utah. It is said to be a 

 cross of Houghton and 

 Downing, and bush and fruit would indicate 

 such parentage. It is also stated that the seed 

 from which this variety grew was brought from 

 Denmark, a statement hardly creditable from 

 the appearance of the plants. 



Plants large, vigorous, upright-spreading, dense, 

 hardy, very productive, not susceptible to mildew ; 

 branches stocky, rough, long, usually straight, re- 

 sembling those of Downing ; spines thick, strong, long, 

 less numerous and thicker than those of Houghton, 

 variable in number ; foliage healthy. Fruit matures 

 early, period of ripening long, readily picked, ships 

 well ; berries over 1 inch long, nearly 1 inch through, 

 oval to slightly obovate, semi-transparent, silvery-green 

 changing at full maturity to pinkish-red ; quality good ; 

 seeds numerous, small. 



PORTAGE. R. Grossularia. On the 

 grounds of the Experiment Station, Geneva, 

 New York, it is impossible to tell this variety 

 from Chautauqua; plants have been purchased 

 at different times from several reliable nursery- 

 men. The variety, however, is described as 

 distinct and as valuable by the Division of 

 Pomology, United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, in their reports for 1891 and 1894. 

 These authorities describe the fruit as large 

 to very large, yellowish green, with a mild, 

 subacid flavor, and firm flesh, which makes 

 it a good shipper. The variety is little known 

 among berry-growers. It originated with A. H. 

 Hoare, Montana Station, Ohio, as a chance 

 seedling found about 1874. 



RED JACKET. Fig. 278. R. hirtellum 

 X R- Grossularia. Red Jacket has excellent 

 plant-characters, but the berries are quite too 

 small for the variety to have value for commer- 

 cial plantations. It may have a place in home 



