AN INTERESTING GOOSEBERRY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2, 10 July 1912, Page 36

AN INTERESTING GOOSEBERRY.

At a recent meeting of the scientific committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, Mr. \V. <J. Smith, of Dunstable, >ent drawings illustrating Howers and fruit of a racemose form of gooseberry, which had been referred to previously as a hybrid between the gooseberry and the black currant on account of the thickly-produced clusters of very dark berries and their flavour, which was said

to be intermediate between the gooseberry and black currant. On careful examination of the fruit and Howers, he had, however, been unable to find anv trace of black currant. The plant appeared to be wholly gooseberry, with Howers and fruit borne in racemes of from two to live. He could detect no black curiant flavour, although the taste was delicious and strong. No oil glands are present on any part of this new form, and the fririts are perfectly glabrous. The pollen is exactly that of the garden gooseberry.

It flowers three weeks in advance of the blaek currant. The merit of the plant lies in its great fruit-producing properties. as on a given length of branch it produces more fruit in weight than probably any other bush extant. The colour of the fruit when ripe is deep, almost blaek maroon or dark mahogany, becoming blaek. The plant originated as a seedling in a market-grower’s garden in the South of England, where it was regarded as a variety more curious than useful. Mr. R. H. Nicholls of Dunstable has acquired the stock.