246 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



mate of drouth and burning sun during the summer months, they were 

 soon attacked by mildew and mould, losing their foliage in midsummer 

 and being thereby made worthless. About this time the Houghton seed- 

 ling had been generally disseminated and planted by nurserymen and 

 fruitgrowers. This was a great accession over the old j)rickly natives that 

 were cultivated in some gardens and the fruit eaten and relished by those 

 who had none better. Although of small size, the Houghton was a great 

 bearer, had good flavor, and was not subject to mildew. So it became 

 popular and was largely planted for family use and general market. But 

 this favorite was soon succeeded by the Downing, a much larger fruit of a 

 greenish yellow color, good flavor, and entirely free from mildew. The 

 bush is a very strong, upright grower, and when properly cultivated holds 

 its foliage through the summer until frost removes it. This is the only 

 variety I have ever known that fully sustains this character. Smith's 

 Improved is its equal in size and quality of fruit, but an ordinary drouth 

 causes it to drop its leaves, which enfeebles the bush and makes it shorter 

 lived. The same may be said of all the newer varieties, as far as tested,, 

 including the great Industry. This also mildews, in the west, in seasons- 

 of drouth. 



The cultivation of gooseberries for market is receiving some attention 

 at this time, and although there is nothing mysterious about it, it requires- 

 a degree of care not generally given to it in order to secure success. , The 

 best soil for gooseberries, other things being equal, is one that will stand 

 a severe drouth, yet not wet. A good sandy loam, well enriched in the 

 fall before planting, will not give as strong a bush as a muck soil, but it 

 will give better crops of fruit, is easier cultivated, and the bush longer 

 lived. A heavy, strong clay, even if it is well drained, is not desirable, for 

 it requires a great amount of labor and the plants heave out in winter. A 

 dry, gravelly soil should be avoided, for severe drouths will ruin both fruit 

 and bush. If not too strong, a good clay loam is always good, if worked 

 so as to stand severe drouths. 



If gooseberries are planted seven or eight feet by five, the cultivation 

 can be done much more perfectly and with less labor than if planted 

 nearer. The ground should be plowed or cultivated but one way after the 

 second or third year, and never plowed in the growing season but late in 

 the fall. The roots of gooseberries do not go very deep into the ground,^ 

 but keep quite near the surface. Therefore plowing must be very care- 

 fully done or they will be very seriously damaged. Most of the cultivators 

 in general use run too deej) for the roots of gooseberries. The spring- 

 tooth (one-horse) is the best, if set very light. The double shovel 

 should never be used. One reason for planting gooseberries seven 

 or eight feet apart one way is to give room to work the ground thor- 

 oughly, without injury to the roots, and to afford good surface drainage 

 in the winter. It may sound a little strange to some of you to talk of 

 plowing any kind of small fruits late in the fall, for drainage and winter 

 protection, but my experience has proved it necessary to prevent the 

 bushes from being raised up by the frost. I have practiced the following 

 system of fall cultivation for both gooseberries and currants for the past 

 twelve years and have not failed of a full crop every year : Late in October 

 or November I take a sharp steel plow, with one horse, and set the wheel so 

 as to plow not more than two inches deep, and plow the first two fur- 

 rows toward the bushes, as closely as can be done without injuring the 

 limbs. Then plow one more furrow about one or two inches deeper; and 



