Curatella 



( 261 ) 



Currant 



Chamrecyparis sphseroidea and Retinispora eric- 

 oides). 



Other Species : 



Beuthami, rather tender 40', rather tender (*yn. 



(syn. lusitam'ca, of Can 1 , glauca). 



not Mill). macnabiana, 30', quite 



arizouica, 40'. hdy. 



goweiiiana, ")0', hdy., but torulosa, 80', not hdy. 



short-lived. except in the south ; 



lusitanica (Cedar of Goa), var. corneyana. 



CURATELLA. 



Evergreen shrubs from South America (ord. 

 Dilleniaceae), requiring the temperature of a stove. 

 They have ornamental leaves and white flowers. 

 Cuttings root readily in sandy soil in a propagating 

 case. A compost of fibrous peat and loam, with a 

 fair amount of sand and good drainage, meet their 

 requirements. 



Principal Species : 

 alata, IS', spr., wh. americana, 10', Ap. , wh. 



CURCULIGO. 



Easily managed stove foliage plants (ord. Amaryll 

 idese), with long, wide, plaited or ribbed leaves. 

 The flowers are usually yellow, borne on short 

 racemes, and almost hidden by the density of the 

 leafage. Propagation is easily effected by division 

 of the stools in spring. Turfy loam, with an addi- 

 tion of leaf mould or peat, and a good dash of 

 coarse sand, suits. As abundance of water is 

 required, good drainage is essential. By liberal 

 feeding, plants may be kept in the same pots for 

 several years. 



Principal Species: 

 latifolia, 3' to 4', sum., recurvata, 3' to 4', sum , 



yel. yel. 



plicata, 2' to 3', sum., yel. variegata. 



Other Species : 

 orchioides, 2' , Je., yel. seychellensis, 2i', Je., yel. 



CURCUMA. 



Tropical herbaceous plants (ord. Scitamineae) 

 remarkable for their dense, upright spikes of 

 bright-coloured flowers, each llower being sur- 

 rounded on three sides with a large, leafy bract, 

 the spike being crowned with a number of highly 

 coloured bracts. They are deciduous, and have 

 small, tuberous roots. They are widely distributed 

 throughout the Old World Tropics. Propagation 

 is effected by division of the roots. A mixture of 

 turfy loam and peat, with a good quantity of 

 silver sand, forms a suitable compost. While 

 growth is active a moist stove temperature is 

 required, giving a little less heat and a drier 

 atmosphere as the leaves die away. 



Principal Species : 

 australasiea, 1', Je., yel., roscoeana, 2' to 3', Aug., 



upper bracts red. " sc., upper bracts or. red. 



coruata (sec petiolata). Zedoana, 3', My., Je., 



petiolata, 1J', Sep., yel., yel., upper bracts ro., 



upper bracts ro. pur. wh. 



Other Species : 



albiflora, 1', Jy., wh. rubescens, 1', My., yel. 



data, 2' to 3', My., erim. viridinora, 2', Jy., yel. 

 longii, 2', Jy., yel. gm. 



CURRANT, RED and WHITE. 



Description. Hardy deciduous shrubs (ord. Saxi- 

 I'ni-eie.) the fruits of which are highly prized for 

 dessert, preserving, and culinary purposes. Red 

 and White Currants (Ribes rubrum and r. 

 album) are successfully grown as open bushes, low 



standards, and trained trees on walls and fences. 

 Black Currants require different treatment from the 

 above, and are dealt with separately. 



Propagation. From cuttings in the autumn. 

 Select young shoots about 1' long, and cut just 

 below a bud. Remove the buds down the stem 

 with the exception of three or four at the top. 

 This is done in order to secure a bush with a clear 

 stem above the ground. Insert the cuttings about 

 (i" deep, in rows, pressing the soil firmly round 

 them. When the cuttings are rooted, and shoots 

 have formed from the buds left, the bushes may be 

 transplanted. 



Soil. Deep, well-drained soil in an open situation 

 is the best. Water-logged land should be avoided. 



Pruning. Red and White Currants produce 

 fruit on spurs, and the early training of the bush 

 is to obtain from six to ten main branches radiating 

 from the stem at equal distances. If the side 

 shoots are kept cut back spurs are formed, and 

 each branch becomes a cordon of fruit. Summer 

 pruning is advised, and this consists of taking out 

 the points of the leading shoots and pinching back 

 the side growths to within three or four leaves of 

 the base, in June. At the winter pruning the side 

 shoots are spurred back closely, and the leading 

 growths left about three parts their original length. 

 When grown on walls several main branches are 

 laid in at equal distances, and side and leading 

 shoots pruned on the lines suggested. 



Other Cultural Points. The finest fruit is 

 obtained when the bushes are adequately fed. In 

 the early spring a dressing of decayed manure 

 should be applied and lightly forked in. A good 

 substitute for the above is 4 Ib. of superphosphate 

 and 3 Ib. of kainit per square rod, hoed into the 

 surface soil in February. When bearing crops, 

 liquid manure increases the size and improves the 

 colour of the fruit. If protected with nets the 

 fruit will hang till the end of the summer, and 

 Currants may be picked late in the autumn from 

 trees grown on a north wall. Low standard Currants 

 are useful for growing beside garden paths, witli 

 other crops beneiith them. They are obtained by 

 confining the growths to a single stem supported 

 by a stake, and when about 4' high cutting off the 

 top. The head is formed from the shoots which 

 break out just below. 



Enemies. Aphides. These pests attack the tips 

 of the shoots and cause the leaves to blister and 

 curl. The best remedy is to nip out the points of 

 the shoots and burn them. (For other remedies, 

 see APHIDES.) 



Birds. Havoc is often played by small birds 

 taking the buds in the spring. Dusting the bushes 

 with soot and lime is one of the best remedies. 



Clear/ring Moth (tiesia lipuliformis). The 

 sudden death of Currant shoots is frequently traced 

 to the larva of this moth, which works its way 

 down the cer.ire of the shoots and feeds on the 

 pith. The caterpillars are yellowish white, with 

 dark coloured heads. Insecticides are useless, and 

 the only remedy is to cut out affected shoots and 

 burn them, and destroy the caterpillars when seen. 



Mm//)!/' Mulli {Abraxas gromnlarintci). The 

 larva' of this pretty moth feed on the leaves of both 

 Currants and Gooseberries, and will soon defoliate 

 bushes if left unchecked. Eggs are laid on the 

 leaves, and the caterpillars commence to feed as 

 soon as they appear. To prevent and destroy. 

 spray the bushes with petroleum emulsion, and dust 

 the shoots, when damp, with soot. 



