Currant

No. 12. THE CURRANT CRAB —Pomme groscille. The fruits of this kind of apple are of the size of the currants, and are borne like them, in clusters. They are round, a little compressed towards the two ends; the stem is about half an inch long; the eye is large; red colored, slightly striped with deep red; it is ornamental in its flowers as well as its fruits.

— B. Desportes, The Horticulturist (1856)

Currant Crab.

The fruits of this kind are of the size of currants, and are borne like them in clusters ; they are round, a little compressed towards the ends. Color red, slightly striped with deep red. It is ornamental in its flowers as well as its fruits.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

CURRANT.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:229. 2. Barry, 1883:359. 3. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 4. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1884:39.

SYNONYMS. CURRANT (2). CURRANT CRAB (1, 3). CURRENT CRAB (4). Pomme Groseille (1).

Fruit small, borne in clusters; said to be hardier than Transcendent. Of no commercial value. The tree is a good grower, comes into bearing young and is productive.

TREE. Tree moderately vigorous with moderately long, slender, curved branches. Form upright spreading or roundish, open. Twigs long, curved, slender; internodes short. Bark dark brown, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, roundish, slightly raised. Buds medium size, plump, acute, free, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit small or below medium. Form somewhat oblate, regular, uniform. Stem medium to long, rather slender. Cavity obtuse, rather deep, broad, symmetrical, frequently russeted. Calyx sometimes deciduous, medium size, closed; lobes rather narrow, acute. Basin rather deep, wide, abrupt, obscurely furrowed. Skin thin, tough, smooth, glossy, yellow, striped with brilliant red, overspread with bluish bloom. Dots numerous, small, pale or whitish. Calyx tube broadly cone-shaped, short. Stamens marginal. Core medium to rather large, axile; cells closed; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish to elliptical, emarginate. Seeds light brown, medium to large, wide, somewhat obtuse. Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately fine, tender, dry, subacid, medium to poor. Season October and November.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

CURRANT. Currant is little more than a curiosity, its small fruits being borne in currant-like clusters. It is said to be one of the hardiest of the crabs, and, since the trees are vigorous, come in bearing young, and are remarkably productive, the variety might well be used in breeding. The flesh lacks the juiciness of a good crab, and the flavor does not commend it. Downing first described the variety in 1857.

Tree vigorous, upright-spreading or round, open, with long, slender, curved branches. Fruit small, oblate, regular, uniform; stem medium to long, slender; cavity obtuse, deep, broad, symmetrical, frequently russeted; calyx sometimes deciduous, closed; lobes narrow, acute; basin deep, wide, abrupt, obscurely furrowed; skin thin, tough, smooth, glossy, yellow, striped with brilliant red, overspread with bloom; dots numerous, small, pale; calyx-tube broadly cone-shape, short; stamens marginal; core medium to large, axile; cells closed; core-lines clasping; carpels round to elliptical, emarginate; seeds light brown, medium to large, wide, obtuse; flesh yellow, firm, fine, tender, dry, subacid; poor; October and November.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)