CURRANT.—(Ribes.)

THE RED CURRANT is a low branching shrub; the wood is smooth; the leaves pubescent and doubly serrated; the flowers are yellowish and in racemes, they are produced in April; the fruit in clusters like grapes; the berries round, smooth, of an acid taste. A native of the North of Europe.

The WHITE CURRANT is stated to be but a variety, produced by cultivation from the seed of the red.

The BLACK CURRANT is a distinct species, a native of the North of Europe and Asia. A low shrub, with smooth wood; the leaves are three lobed, pubescent, with a strong odor; the flowers are in racemes, the fruit in clusters, black, and odorous; of an astringent taste.

USES. The red or white currant is used as a dessert fruit, as it possesses a pleasant acid taste; it is also used in pies, tarts, preserves, jellies, &c. Currant wine is made by adding to the expressed juice of fifty pounds of ripe currants, seven gallons of water and thirtythree pounds of good dry Havana sugar. This liquor is put into good casks which must never be quite filled, as the pulp must never be suffered to work out, as its presence is essential to the goodness of the liquor. The bung is left out fortyeight hours, then laid on loosely a fortnight, then driven tight, and in five months it will be fine and fit for use. The first young leaves of the common currant bush, gathered as soon as they put out, and dried on tin, can hardly be distinguished, it is said, from green tea. From the black currant a jelly is made, of considerable medicinal efficacy; a wine is also made from them, reputed to possess far superior medi cinal virtues to Port wine. This jelly has been highly recommended for disorders of the throat; and as a necessary article in the stores of ships sailing to the East Indies. A liquor is prepared from the black currant, which Mr Forsyth states is possessed of great medicinal efficacy in obstinate coughs, &c. The currants for this purpose are bruised, and being placed in a jar, whiskey or any other species of alcohol is poured over them, the jar is then covered close for a fortnight; after this the liquor is strained and bottled.

We are informed, by Mr Neill, that a small leaf of the black currant gathered in spring and laid for a few minutes in an infusion of Bohea tea, communicates its flavor, which has been compared to that of green tea.

VARIETIES.

BLACK ENGLISH.

The berries are of large size, and the trees are very productive.

AMERICAN BLACK CURRrant.

This possesses similar qualities to the preceding, but it is not so highly esteemed.

BLACK NAPles.

This is a new variety, highly recommended. CHAMPAGNE.

The fruit of this variety is pale red.

LARGE RED, or RED DUTCH.

The growth is strong and upright, the berries large, it is extraordinary productive and good.

Large White or SPANISH IMPERIAL, Large DUTCH WHITE. The young wood grows upright. The berries and clus ters are very large, of a yellowish white color, and excellent quality; it is extraordinary productive. The branches of the bearing wood trail beneath the weight of their fruit. JEFFERSON or MISSOURI FRAGRANT CURrant.

This variety is very distinct from the other kinds. Its growth is tall; its berries are very few, are black, and of ordinary quality; its flowers are in clusters of a yellow color, and extraordinary fragrance.

CULTIVATION, SOIL, &c.

The currant requires a rich soil, its cultivation is similar to that of the gooseberry, which see.

PRUNING. "Mr Macdonald," says Mr Neill, [Edin. Ency. vol. x. p. 576,] "raises currants both red and white of the finest quality. He prunes the bushes at the usual season in midwinter, shortening the last year's shoots to an

inch and a half. Next summer the plants show plenty of fruit and at the same time throw out strong shoots. As soon as the berries begin to color, he cuts off the summer shoots to within five or six inches above the fruit. This is commonly done with garden shears, with which a man may go over half an acre of bushes in a day. Sun and air thus get free access, and more of the vigor of the plant is directed to the fruit; the berries are found not only to be of higher flavor, but larger than usual." Mr A. D. Williams of Roxbury, practises winter pruning on perfectly similar principles, and with the most decisive results.

GOOSEBERRY. - (Ribes Uva-crispa.)

"A

A NATIVE of America and of Europe. A low branching prickly shrub, rising to the height of from three to six feet; the leaves are three lobed and sometimes pubescent; the fruit pendulous, hairy or smooth, round or oblong, its size sometimes equals that of a good sized plum; of a green, white, yellow, red or violet color; and of a sweet vinous, or acid flavor; a fruit wonderfully improved by cultivation. According to Loudon it is found wild in Piedmont where it is eatable, but astringent and neglected. In Italy and Spain scarcely known, and little esteemed in France. moderate temperature and humid climate seem best to suit the fruit." Cultivated in greater perfection in Lancashire than any other part of the world. But Neill observes, "It must be admitted that although the largest gooseberries make a fine appearance on the table, they are deficient in flavor, or their skins are thick and strong compared with some of smaller size." Some large kinds, however, are of good quality.

USES. The gooseberry is considered an excellent dessert fruit either raw or preserved in sugar; and, very valuable fruit for pies, tarts, sauces, &c. In cool cellars they may be preserved for winter use, in bottles filled first with gooseberries, and then with water, and closely corked and sealed. But by plunging the bottles into cold water which is to be heated gradually to the boiling point, they are said to keep better.

According to Phillips, wine made from green gooseberries is but a shade inferior to champagne; and the ripe black gooseberry affords a luscious wine. And he asserts that fields might be covered with this fruit for the making of wine, as profitably, as the vineyards of the South.

Champagne Wine, as we are informed, is in England very successfully imitated from the juice of unripe gooseberries. The saccharine principle is in this case supplied by the addition of loaf sugar.

VARIETIES. (Chiefly from Lindley.)

The following varieties from Lindley, the Pomological Magazine and Mr Hooker, are recommended by them as the best selection from many hundred varieties.

RED.

CAPPER'S TOP SAWYER. 24 dwts.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit late, very large oblong, pale red, hairy near the base; very excellent.

CHAMPAGNE.

Branches erect; fruit late, middle size, somewhat oblong, dark red, hairy; most excellent.

FARMER'S ROARING LION. 31 dwts. 16 grs.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit late, very large, oblong, dull red, smooth; the largest of all gooseberries.

KNIGHT'S MARQUIS OF STAFFORD.

Branches somewhat erect; the fruit late, large, roundish oblong, bright red, hairy, excellent.

MELLING'S CROWN BOB. 22 dwts.

Branches drooping; fruit rather late, large, oblong, bright red, hairy; very good.

OLD ROUGH RED.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit small, round, dark red, very hairy; most excellent for preserving as gooseberry jam, and best for bottling when green.

WILMOT'S EARLY RED. Hooker's Pom. Lond.

One of the very best of all gooseberries and is cultivated by Mr Wilmot to a great extent in his celebrated fruit garden. He prefers it to all others he has seen. He states that it is of large size, very early, of excellent flavor and incredibly productive.

GREEN.

EARLY GREEN HAIRY.

Branches erect; fruit early, small, round, deep green, hairy; excellent.

EDWARD'S JOLLY TAR. 19 dwts. 17 grs.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit early, of a middle size, roundish oblong, smooth, with yellowish veins. MASSEY'S HEART OF OAK. 16 dwts.

Branches drooping, fruit rather early, large, oblong, smooth, with pale yellow veins; excellent.

NIXON'S GREEN MYRTLE.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit late, large, oblong, smooth, tapering to the base, pale green.

PARKINSON'S LAUREL. 17 dwts. 18 grs.

Branches erect; fruit rather late, large, roundish oblong, pale green, very downy.

WAINWRIGHT'S OCEAN. 20 dwts. 8 grs.

Branches drooping; fruit early, large, oblong, or ovate, smooth; the largest of this color.

WHITE.

CLEWORTH'S WHITE LION. 19 dwts. 9 grs.

Branches somewhat drooping; fruit late, roundish oblong, slightly hairy, sometime nearly smooth.

CROMPTON'S SHEBA QUEEN. 18 dwts.

Branches somewhat erect; fruit early, pretty large, roundish oblong, downy; excellent.

MOORE'S WHITE BEAR.

Branches somewhat erect; fruit early, large, roundish oblong, hairy, or somewhat bristly.

SAUNDER'S CHESHIRE LASS.

20 dwts.

Branches erect; fruit very early, large, oblong, downy; excellent for tarts early in the spring, when few are ready for that purpose.

WELLINGTON'S GLORY. 23 dwts. 14 grs.

Branches erect; fruit pretty early, large, somewhat ovate, very downy; excellent.

WOODWARD'S WHITESMITH. 16 dwts. 7 grs.

Branches erect; fruit pretty early, large, roundish oblong, brownish when exposed, very downy; very excellent and more in esteem than any other gooseberry of this color.