Upon the Variations of the Red Currant, fyc. 



81 



and still more superior to the tough coriaceous husk of the 

 common almond, which I have proved to be convertible into 

 the soft melting flesh of the peach : and the state of the 

 currant, in our gardens, at the present period, is probably 

 little different, either in taste or flavour, from that in which 

 it existed in its native woods. It can scarcely be doubted 

 but that, like other species of fruits, it is capable of being 

 rendered mild and sweet, by skilful culture, through succes- 

 sive generations ; though, in the present state of infancy of 

 the art of improving fruits, it is impossible to decide to what 

 extent it may be improved. That it may become sufficiently 

 saccharine to afford a vinous liquor, without the addition of 

 sugar, appears at least possible, and, I conceive, not very im- 

 probable, if the Crab have been changed into the Golden 

 Pippin, the Almond into the Peach and Nectarine, and the 

 Sloe into the Green Gage Plum. The experiments necessary 

 to decide the question, are easily made ; and it is with hopes 

 of exciting some Member of this Society, to engage in such 

 experiments, that I, at the present period, address to them 

 the following narrative. 



Wishing to ascertain, to what extent the Red Currant 

 could be made to sport in variety, by the means which I had 

 adopted, to obtain seedling plants of other species of fruit, I 

 procured cuttings, in the year 1810, of the finest varieties of 

 the red and the white currant, that I was able to discover ; 

 which I planted in pots of very rich mould, and placed under 

 a south wall, to which the trees were subsequently trained. 

 At the end of three years, within which period the pots had 

 been as often changed, the trees had become sufficiently large 

 and old for my purpose, and were then first suffered to pro- 



