Currant
(Ribes). There are three distinct types of Currants in cultivation--the Red, obtained from Ribes rubrum; the White, a variety of the same species; and the Black (R. nigrum). Both species are either natives of Britain, or have been introduced from some other part of Europe at a period unknown. The fruit of the Red Currant is largely used for tarts; it is also preserved in the form of jelly, or mixed with raspberries for jam. The White is generally less acid, and is more used for dessert, with a few Red ones intermixed. Black Currants are almost wholly utilised for cooking and preserving, and are supposed to possess medicinal properties not found in either of the others. The trees grow in almost any position, and the crop is often a remunerative one to cottagers, particularly near large towns, and also to market gardeners. Currants are in great demand in private gardens; and, in this case, if the trees are planted in different positions, and protected, the fruiting season may be considerably prolonged.
Propagation. Currants may be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layers, or suckers; and, in special cases, grafting may be employed, using suckers or gross-growing seedlings for stocks. Seeds are only sown for raising new varieties; but as the chances of obtaining improvements on those sorts already existing, are extremely doubtful, this method is but little adopted. Suckers are objectionable, as they are often gross-growing and not free-fruiting; they are also very liable to reproduce suckers. Layers root easily if the trees are dwarf and the shoots can be brought to the ground in order to be pegged down; but this mode is seldom used, and is not here recommended. Propagation by cuttings is the best and most generally practised plan. These should consist of strong well-ripened young shoots, taken off close to the old wood if possible. If a length of from 12in. to 15in. can be procured, the cuttings should be placed 6in. in the ground, first carefully removing the whole of the eyes in this part, and also from some part of the wood above ground, so as to form a stem. The earlier they are taken in autumn after the wood is matured, and inserted, the better; but if this is not practicable, any time when the ground is suitable, up till the end of February, will be tolerably safe. The best method of putting in cuttings is to dig a trench of suitable depth, somewhat vertically, and place them about 6in. apart, afterwards filling in and treading firmly. A space of 1ft. should be allowed between the lines, and each other line proceeded with in the same way after the first one is finished.
Soil and Site. Being vigorous root-producing plants, Currants do best in good rich loam, 2ft. or more in depth, rather heavy than otherwise, so as to retain moisture. In dry season, if they are growing in light soil and are not kept watered, the fruit shrivels or ripens prematurely, being in either case inferior. Any fairly good soil will grow Currants of moderate quality; but for large crops and fine fruit, the conditions above mentioned are the best. Manure water, applied when the fruit is swelling, will increase the size, but often affects the flavour. Established trees should have a good annual dressing of farmyard manure or cowdung after the winter pruning, removing a little of the soil round the trees and placing the manure in, afterwards covering it with the soil. Red and White Currants are often cultivated on the back walls of lean-to glass houses, or other similar positions, in order to prolong the season of fruit supply as much as possible; but the crop from such trees can hardly be expected to have the flavour of that more exposed to the sun. The bush forms is invariably adopted for Black Currants, and for the main crop of the Red. A space of 5ft. or 6ft. must be allowed between the trees in the open quarters, and a south aspect should be avoided, especially in light soils. Bush trees, 3ft. high and as much in diameter, are sometimes grown alternately with pyramid Apple or Pear trees, by the sides of walks; and Currants trained as pyramids are also well adapted for such positions. The earlier the planting can be done in autumn, after the leaves are off, the better, as new roots are then formed at once, and a crop secured the following season, presuming the plants are large enough.
Pruning and Training. For covering walls, a good plan is to place young plants 3ft. apart, selecting the three strongest shoots, and training one of them upright in the centre, and the other two equidistant on either side, thus placing all the main shoots 1ft. apart. Cut back if at all weak, allowing them in course of time to reach the desired height, and occasionally shorten all the laterals. Bush trees should have a clean stem of 6in. or more at the bottom, and from six to twelve main shoots, according to the size of bush intended to be grown. Occasionally, pyramids are formed by training one strong shoot to a good height, shortening it each year, to insure the production of spurs for fruiting. When trained in this way, Currants have a fine effect, and are almost certain to produce good crops, which have the advantage of being kept free from dirt, while those on bushes are often made very muddy by heavy storms. A large quantity of wood is made in summer, and this should be thinned and shortened, but not too severely, about the beginning of July. This will materially assist in ripening the fruit, by admitting more light, and also help to ripen the other wood. The winter pruning will consist in shortening the main shoots, where they have not attained the desired height, to about 6in., and cutting all the young wood on the spurs nearly close in. This process applies chiefly to Red and White Currants. The Black varieties require different treatment, as in this case the fruit is produced on the wood of the previous year. Thinning out the old wood, and annually renewing with young, is the plan to be adopted. The leading growths will require but little stopping after the plants are in bearing condition; but any strong or misplaced shoots should be removed. Black Currants should not be trained to fruit on spurs like the others, but they may be made to do so by subjecting them to the same system of pruning. The fruit for all purposes should be gathered, if possible, when dry. When required for preserving, it is better, if the weather is suitable, to wait several dry days before gathering. If for dessert, it is best gathered from the plants in fine weather as required. The trees should be carefully netted, without leaving any open spaces, or the birds will be sure to find them.
Insects, &c. Currants are subject to the ravages of all the caterpillars that prove so destructive to the Gooseberry, the trees being often entirely defoliated, excepting the petioles of the leaves. Hand-picking should be watered with an infusion of Hellebore leaves. Other caterpillars feed in the interior of the branches in spring, causing them to die away. The parts affected should be removed, and burned. Aphides are often found in large numbers on the points of the shoots; it is best to cut off and destroy these, or the insects will fall on the fruit, rendering it dirty and useless. Blackbirds and thrushes are the most destructive amongst birds as soon as the fruit is ripe. Carefully netting the plants is the only efficient protection, and this is always necessary if the fruit is to hang late for dessert. Sorts. Names of Currants are very numerous, but the distinct varieties are somewhat limited, a great many being either synonyms or insufficiently distinct. The following are amongst the best in cultivation: Black. BLACK NAPLES, large and good, but, being early in leaf, the fruit is sometimes liable to suffer from spring frosts, this is an old variety, well proved to be good for general cultivation; LEE'S PROLIFIC, distinct and comparatively new, the bunches are large, and the berries even larger than Black Naples, very sweet, and abundantly produced, an excellent black variety; OGDEN'S BLACK GRAPE, large and fine, very prolific; SWEET-FRUITED, a small sort, but little known, the fruit hangs longer on the trees, if protected, than most other Black varieties.
Red. CHERRY, a large, deep red, early Currant; HOUGHTON SEEDLING (Syn. Houghton Castle), a free-fruiting late variety, berries deep red, and very acid; KNIGHT'S LARGE RED (Syn. Goliath), berries bright red, bunches very large, and an abundant bearer; LA FERTILE, very prolific, large and good; LA HATIVE, a large, early, free-fruiting variety; MAMMOTH, one of the largest and best; RABY CASTLE, bunches long and large, berries bright red, with a sharp acidity, an abundant-fruiting late variety that hangs well; RED CHAMPAGNE, a very prolific variety, of a pale pink or flesh-colour, midway in flavour between the Red and White sorts; RED DUTCH, one of the best and most productive, and probably the one most cultivated, it ripens early, the berries are large, juicy, and of excellent quality; WARNER'S GRAPE, a good variety, with large bunches and berries.
White. WHITE DUTCH, this is the best of the White Currants, the plants have a dwarf, bushy habit, like the Red Dutch, the bunches and berries are large and freely produced, and of a mild, sweet flavour; WILMOT'S LARGE WHITE, a distinct variety, and a good cropper, but not so much grown as White Dutch.