CURRANT (Fr, corinthe, It. corintho, cur rant, from Lat. Corinthus, Gk. K6pLrOor, Karin t)ros, Corinth; so called as being originally ex ported from that city). A name used to desig nate some fruits of the genus Yids, as well as both the plant and fruit of the genus Ribes. Originally this term seems to have been applied to the small raisins which are now a common commercial article much used in cookery. In general the term currant is applied to both the plant and fruit of those species of the genus Ribes that have no thorns and bear their fruits in himches or clusters like grapes. Ribes ru brum may be taken as a type. This group is found chiefly in the northern half of the north temperate zone. In Europe it is wild, and occurs in England and on the Continent as far north as Eamehatka, although it is not found in the IMediterranean countries. In America it is found in Canada, and both eastern and western United States. Having a northern origin, it has proved a most valuable plant in 'the Northwest, where few cultivated fruits thrive without protection. The currant is found in almost every fruit gar den throUghout the northern United States and Canada, and is cultivated to a considerable ex tent commercially.
llibes Imbrium from which our red and white varieties are derived, is the most important mem ber of this group, both in America and Europe. ( For illustration, see Plate of CYPRESS.) It grows best on a strong, moist loam. with a northern ex posure or partial shade. For this reason it is often planted in orchards and on the north side of buildings. It is generally propagated by hard wood cuttings, six to ten inches long, taken in the early fall. The plants are set about four feet apart in rows six feet apart. Frequent and shal low cultivation is given, and good results are often secured by mulching. Not much priming is required. The old wood should be thinned out each year, none over three years old being al lowed to remain. Red varieties are the ones chiefly grown for market. The white sorts arc sweeter. but not so popular. Both white and red varieties are extensively used in the preparation of jellies and jams, and for wine-making. Black currants (Ribes higrom) are little grown in the United States, but are extensively cultivated in Canada and in Europe, especially in Scotland.
A kind of liquor (liqueur de cassis) is made in large quantities from them in France. The raw fruit has an unpleasant odor and flavor, which becomes agreeable only by scalding. It possesses medicinal properties and is used as a tonic and in throat troubles.
Ribes Americanum, the Western representative of the black currant, possesses all its good quali ties and is more ornamental. Another American species very generally met with in ornamental plantations, under the name of flowering cur rant, or golden currant, is Ribes aureum. It has been lately placed upon the market as a fruit plant under the name of Crandall currant; its fruit is of good quality, but it is a small bearer. The red-Ilmvered currant (Ribes sanguineum), BOW so common as an ornamental bush in shrub beries, and trained on walls, producing in April a profusion of deep-red flowers in large drooping vaccines, is a native of northwestern America, and was introduced into Great Britain in 1826. Its bluish-black, mucilaginous. insipid berries are not poisonous, as is popularly believed. An other currant, with beautiful red berries, larger than the largest English red currant, occurs on the Himalayas, at an elevation of 13,000 feet. The name native currant, or Australian currant. is given in Australia to the berries of different shrubs, particularly the white berries of Leuco pogon Richei, of the natural order Epacridacem. Other fruits bearing the same name are pro duced by species of Coprosma (natural order Cinchonacem), but they are very inferior.
Currant Discases.—Two diseases of the cur rant are well known in the United States, and they both occur in Europe and elsewhere. The anthracno.se, caused by, Glmosporium ribis, at tacks the leaves. causing small black spots on the upper side, and later white areas on the under surface; the leaves turn yellow and fall from the bushes. The leaf-spot, due to Septoria ribis, occurs as whitish spots with black centres, which spread over the leaf, causing it to fall prema turely, the whole hush being bare by late sum mer. These diseases can he prevented by the proper use of any standard fungicide (q.v.).