CURCUMA 



CURRANT 



415 



curious subjects are almost unknown in American con- 

 servatories, but with the spread of private greenhouses 

 in America they will surely be grown, at least in some 

 of the finer fanciers' collections. The following cultural 



610, Common Currant— Ribes rubrum, in bloom (X K), 



points are taken from B. M. 4435, where it is said that 

 these plants are of ornamental appearance, even when 

 not in flower. In spring the tubers should be deprived 

 of last year's mold and repotted in a fresh mixture of 

 light loam, leaf -mold and turfy peat, the pots being well 

 drained, and placed in a warm pit or frame in bottom 

 heat. Water should be given sparingly until after the 

 plant has made some growth. The young roots are soft 

 and succulent, and are likely to rot if the soil remains 

 wet for a long time. After flowering, the leaves soon show 

 signs of decay, and water should be gradually with- 

 drawn. During the resting period the soil should not 

 be allowed to get dust-dry, or the tubers are likely to 

 shrivel. The plants are propagated by dividing the 

 tubers in spring. The flowers of Curcuma are large and 

 gaping, hooded above, and with a 3-toothed lower lip. 

 In the throat are seen 2 teeth, which are the tips of the 

 anthers. Curcumas are essen- 

 tially tropical plants, and the 

 great difficulty is said to be to 

 maintain sufficient heat while al- 

 lowing them enough air. 



cord^ta, Wall. Lvs. 1 ft. long, 

 sheathing, ovate-cordate, acumi- 

 nate, the same color on both sides, *• > 

 obliquely penninerved : bracts in (fy ' 

 a cylindical spike, the upper »^ 

 part forming a sterile portion ' 

 called a coma, which is a rich 

 violet, with a large blood-colored 

 spot : fls. yellow, with a pink 

 hood. Burma. B. M. 4435. -This 

 is now referred to C. petiolata, 

 Roxb., but B. M. 5821 seems at 

 least horticulturally distinct, with 

 its rose-pink bracts. 



C. alMflbra, Thwaites, differs from 

 the others here ^escribed in having its 

 spikes sunk below the lvs., instead of 



standing high above the lvs., and all the bracts have fls., while 

 the others have a sterile portion of the spike which is brightly 

 colored. In this species the spike is short and green and 

 the fls. are prominent and white. Ceylon. B,M.5909. — O.Austra- 

 Zasicd.Hook. f., has its upper bracts soft, rosy pink and the fls. 

 pale yellow. Australia. B. M. 5620.— (7. iJoscoed^m, Wall., has 

 a long and splendid spike, with bracts gradually changing from 

 green to the vividest scarlet-orange: fls. pale yellow. Biu-ma. 

 B. M. 4667.— O. Zedod.ria, Roxb., has the upper bracts white, 

 tinged with carmine, and handsomely-variegated lvs., which, 

 with the green of the lower bracts and the yellow of the flow- 

 ers, makes a striking picture of exotic splendor. Himalayas. 

 B.M. 1546. y^ jj^ 



CTJBLED LEAVES are often caused by aphids or 

 plant lice. For remedies, see Spraying. "The leaf-curl 

 of the peach is a fungous disease. See Diseases. 



CTTBMfiBIA. All referred to Homalomena. 



CUKEANT. Four species of Currant are known to 

 American gardeners as fruit-bearing plants. Sibes 

 rubrum (Fig. 610) includes all the red and white varie- 

 ties. This species is found wild both in Europe and 

 North America. Sibes nigrum (Fig. Cll), the European 

 black Currant, although well known in America, has 

 never become generally popular, although it is much 

 prized by the foreign population. Ribes Aniericavum 

 (Pig. 612), more commonly known as Sibes floridum, is 

 the wild black Currant of America. It is very similar in 

 character to the European black Currant, and is now 

 and then transferred to gardens. Sibes anreitm (Fig. 

 613), oftener grown for ornament, has also been planted 

 for fruit,, having been sold from time to time under 

 various varietal names, the most recent being the Cran- 

 dall. See Sibes. To the commercial fruit-grower only 

 the first of these species is of great importance. It is a 

 native of cool climates, and its profitable culture is con- 

 fined to northern latitudes. It does not thrive in the Gulf 

 states and, except under irrigation or in specially favor- 

 able locations, makes but a partial success in the drier 

 region of the Plains. 



Both experience and the natural habitat of the plant 

 indicate that a cool, moist soil is best adapted to its 

 growth. Strong, moist loams, with a considerable ad- 

 mixture of clay, are preferable. Even a stiff clay, well 

 drained and in good tilth, will give good results. In 

 small supply for the home garden, it may be grown in 

 almost any soil. A cool northern exposure or partial 

 shade is always desirable, and the more unfavorable the 

 soil, or the more nearly does the location approach the 

 southern range of adaptation, the more important does 

 this become. For this reason western growers often find 

 the best results to come from planting in orchards, and 



611. Black Currant— Ribes nigrum 



