1871 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



91 



The Currant— Its Nativity.— Best Sorts. 



The currant is said to be a native of the north of Europe. In a work entitled " The Companion for 

 the Orchard," puhlislied in London in 1831, the author remarks: "This agreeable and wholesome fruit 

 is undoubtedly a native of our country ; it was formerly found grow- 

 ing, in the wild state, in the woods and hedges of Yorkshire, Durham 

 and "Westmoreland, as well as on the banks of the Tay, and other parts 

 of Scotland. The red currant grows natur.illy in Sweden and other 

 Northern parts of Europe. The white is only a variety of it, and was 

 at first accidentally produced by culture. As a further proof of its 

 being a Nortnern fruit, we have no account of its being known at all 

 to the ancient Greeks or Romans, who have been very accurate in des- 

 cribing all the fruits known in tlieir time. It seems not to have grown 

 so far south as France ; for the old French name o{ f/roseiiles d'outremer 

 evidently bespeaks it not to have been a native of that country, and 

 even at the present time the French language has no appropriate name 

 for it distinct from the gooseberry. The Dutch also acknowledge it 

 not to have been indigenous to Holland, where it was called hessldns 

 ot^ zee. Whether the Dutch finst procured this fruit from Britian, or 

 from any other northern countries, we must acknowledge ourselves in. 

 debted to the gardeners of that country tor improving the size, if not 

 the flavor, of this fruit." 



No garden fruit should be more universally cultivated than the cur- 

 rant. It has been well said that the currant needs no eulogy — remark- 

 able for its many good C|ualities — hardiness, productiveness, ease of 

 culture, time of maturit}', wholcsomeness, aijd its various uses. As 

 soon as the berries are fairly formed, and before they begin to ripen, 

 they are used by many for pies and sauce. At maturity there is noth- 

 ing better for either of these purposes, while for preserving by bottling, 

 uone of our fruits keep as well, and few are better for winter use. For 

 jams and jellies every house-keeper knows the currant has no superior 

 among our long list of fruits. 



No garden should be considered too small for a few currant bushes; 

 a few well trained plants will supply an ordinary family the year 

 through. Ripening of the fruit may be much accelerated or retarded 

 by the situation of the plants. Plants situated on the south side of a 

 tight fence will ripen their fruit some ten or fifteen days earlier than 

 when remote from any shelter. On the other hand, if planted on the 

 north side of a fence, the fruit will be retarded in its ripening, and will 

 hang long on the stems after maturity. By a little attention to these 

 points in planting, the currant season may be lengthened out three to 

 four weeks. Though no plant produces fruit more generously than 

 the currant under negligent culture, nothing pays better for hi(jk cul- 

 tivation. To keep the plants in a vigorous condition, and to insure 

 the finest quality of fruit and the largest crops, an annual top-dressing la Versailles. 



of coarse manure is indispensable. It should be applied in tlie fall and slightly worked in in the spring. 

 In fact, to insure the best returns, neither manure or the pruning knife should be used sparingly. An- 

 nually—as soon as the fruit is gathered— cut out all three year old' wood and burn it, for the currant 

 borer will be found in the pith of such wood, and wood so infested is a useless incumbrance. In pruning 

 the currant it is recommended by some writers to shorten in the last season's growth to six or eight 

 inches. Don't do it. Take out none but the old wood, as a general thing. 



As to the most desirable kinds, we would recommend Red and White Dutch, White Grape, Cherry and 

 Versailles. 



Red and White Dutch are old and well known sorts, and may safely be recommended for general culti- 

 vation. They are at home in all kinds of soil, free growers, productive, and clusters and berries fair 

 size. There is no fruit under the sun that pays more liberally under high culture than I'ds currant. 



The White Orape is large, handsome, and very popular. Fruit large, yellowish whit; with less acidity 

 than Bed Dutch. 



The Cherry is large and splendid — the largest of the currant fiimily ; bunches shor , rather more acid 



