THE GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT FAMILY. 343 



summer of 1824, a stalk of remarkable height often attracted 

 my attention. On reaping the crop, the grains supported by 

 this stalk, and those by a short one proceeding from the same 

 root, were gathered together, and in the following spring in- 

 cluded in a collection of Oats obtained during a tour in some 

 English districts, and cultivated with a view of ascertaining 

 their respective peculiarities. The crop from the grains of the 

 gigantic stalk was again conspicuously tall. The following year 

 (1826), remarkable for drought, was unfavourable to the growth 

 of the Oat-plant in East Lothian, which circumstance, in con- 

 nection with the crop of the Hopetoun Oat being deposited at 

 the corner of a barn, where it was preyed on by mice, prevented 

 increase of quantity this year; and it was not till the year 1827 

 that the Oat ingratiated itself in my good opinion. In 1828 a 

 bushel of this Oat was presented to Robert Wallace, Esq. of 

 Kelly. In the spring of 1830 it was offered to the public, and 

 sold to forty-three individuals. The following autumn it was 

 sent to several foreign countries." " Entertaining," says Mr 

 Shirreff, " a lively interest for the fate of a plant, named as a 

 tribute to the memory of one of the most amiable of modern 

 characters, and which had occupied time and attention in rais- 

 ing, I circulated queries regarding the Hopetoun Oat amongst 

 the individuals who purchased seed, by which I was furnished 

 with many reports of experiments and statements highly favour- 

 able to this plant, both in regard to quantity, meal, weight of 

 straw, &c." Mr S. subsequently says " The Hopetoun Oat is 

 now in the cultivation of the country. How I became pos- 

 sessed of it has been already stated ; but whether it originated 

 from the sexual intercourse of two known species, from the 

 effects of cultivation, or from a freak of nature, will in all pro- 

 bability remain a secret." 



The foregoing facts are brought forward to show what im- 

 provements may be effected in our annual plants by the pro- 

 duction of new and valuable varieties, where there is an inquir- 

 ing mind to explore, and a patient assiduity to elicit profitable 

 results by repeated experiments. 



THE GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT FAMILY (Grossulariacece). 



Ribes. A genus of ornamental flowering or useful fruit- 

 bearing shrubs, principally natives of Europe, America, and of 

 the temperate parts of Asia. The most useful garden plants 

 are the Red Currant (Ribes rubruni] and its white varieties ; 

 Black Currant (R. nigruni) ; and the common Gooseberry (R, 



