RACES OF THE CURRANT. 



73 



thoroughly that an attractive, well-blanched bunch 

 of celery will bring a better price than a bunch 

 half-green and dirty. They know too that the peo- 

 ple who buy produce in the metropolitan markets 

 to sell again thoroughly understand what the con- 

 sumer requires, and he also knows that the con- 

 sumer in such a city as New York well knows the 

 difference between good and bad packing of de- 

 sirable or undesirable products. 



Illiterate, rough and coarse, these people under- 

 stand thoroughly their work. If our more in- 

 telligent growers of market products would use their 

 intelligence to better advantage the results of their 

 work would be much more satisfactory. In our 

 next paper we shall invite you to go with us and see 

 how a famous fruit and vegetable grower handles 

 his produce for this great market. K. 

 (to be continued.) 



RACES OF THE CURRANT. 



HE September number of 

 The American Garden is 

 before me, and I have read 

 with care Professor Bailey's 

 estimate of the value of the 

 Victoria and the Crandall 

 currants, and the thought 

 occurs that some notes on 

 the races of the currant and 

 their possible improvement for various parts of our 

 great country might have some interest. 



I\il>fs rubriini. — Loudon, and later, Alphonse De Can- 

 dolle place all the cultivated varieties of the red and 

 white currants known to the gardens of Southwest 

 Europe in this species ; but De Candolle hints at the 

 ancient cultivation of the currant by saying: "The 

 Slav names are different and in considerable number. " 



A careful study of these Russian varieties with the 

 Slav names indicates that they have probably a separate 

 and distinct origin from primitive eastern types. Of 

 our well-known varieties, the Victoria and Long-Bunched 

 Holland are plainly members of the eastern family of 

 Rihts riihriiiii. 



As grown in the prairie states, they differ from the 

 Red Dutch, White Dutch, Cherry, Fay, etc., in their en- 

 durance of heat and drouth, the holding of their thick 

 foliage until late fall, and greater longevity and vigor of 

 bush. 



We have on trial red and white varieties of this 

 eastern race, all of which have the same habit and per- 

 sistence of foliage, and some of them have peculiar pear- 

 shaped fruit. At present I am not certain that an)' of 

 them will prove superior to the Long-Bunched Holland ; 

 but for western culture they are beyond doubt the 

 founders of a new race that will bear the heat and drouth 

 of the west and south. 



Ribes aitrcuiii. — Professor Bailey's estimate of the 

 prospective value of the Crandall draws public atten- 

 tion to this native species and its possible development. 

 The Crandall is not the only free-fruiting variety. 

 Twenty-five years ago I grew a variety from Utah that 

 was fully equal to the Crandall, and I have seen and 

 tested several others. At the Exposition at New Or- 



leans specimens of 7\ibi's aiirfum fruit were exhibited 

 from Wyoming that measured three-fourths of an inch 

 in diameter. While I do not place very high estimate 

 on the value of the Crandall for dessert or culinary use, 

 I yet believe it will be the parent in the near future of 

 varieties that will prove real acquisitions. 



Ribes nigruin. — This species is indigenous to nearly 

 all parts of Europe and Asia, hence we might expect to 

 find many climatic variations. In Russia we found 

 green, yellow, white and black varieties in cultivation, 

 some of which were wholly destitute of the peculiar 

 odor and flavor of the Black Naples and other South 

 European sorts. 



An eastern variety we picked up in Central Russia 

 has thick and firm leaves, a decidedly pendent habit, 

 and its quite large fruit is in long racemes, black or dark 

 brown in color, and far better in quality than Crandall. 

 Its fault seems to be unequal ripening of the fruit. 

 We are so much pleased with the present promise of 

 this variety that we shall try to introduce other forms 

 we saw in the steppe country east and west of the 

 Volga. 



Ribes alpina. — Under this name we found red and 

 white varieties of a nearly sweet currant in different 

 parts of East Europe. In leaf, bud and fruit it wholly 

 differs from Ribes rubruiii , and is said to be indigenous 

 to South Central Asia. The plant seems at home in 

 Iowa climate and soil, and its first fruits are very satis- 

 factory in size and quality. In inflorescence it is so 

 near the common currant that we can hope to cross it 

 with the Cherry and Fay, with a view to sweetening and 

 improving the flavor. 



Ribes dikuslia. — Here is another name not known to 

 our horticultural or botanical works. It is an Oriental 

 species, cultivated even in ancient times in Central Asia. 

 That it is closely allied to the Ribes alpina I do not 

 doubt. The fruit is in racemes, and in size and flavor 

 it much resembles the dwarf juneberries. 



This brief review of the most promising species 

 of the hardy currants of the north temperate zone 

 is given with a view to the possible improvement in 

 the size and quality of this healthful fruit. 



Iowa Agricultural College. J. L. Budd. 



