REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 



97 



THE GOOSEBERRY PLANTATION. 



The present collection of gooseberries was set out in the spring of 1893. It is 

 composed of 10 American and 107 English varieties, beside a fe\7 of their hybrids. The 

 goil is light ■ sandy loam underlaid by limestone ledge and shale. Before setting the 

 plants a portion of the area received a light surface dressing of blue clay. The ground 

 was well manured before planting. The American varieties and hybrids were propa- 

 gated by layers at the Central Farm. The English varieties were imported as two-year 

 old plants. They were set in rows 4x6 feet apart. Cultivation was thorough. The 

 plantation was mulched with barn-yard litter in the autumn of each year. No special 

 winter protection was given. Two years ago the ground was heavily mulched with 

 barn-yard manure ; since then cultivation has been suspended, such weeds as appeared 

 being pulled by hand. The English varieties have not been successful. A few have done 

 fairly well and bear paying crops, but much the larger percentage have proved melan- 

 choly failures. This failure should, I believe, be largely credited to the character of the 

 soil. In this locality and throughout the Ottawa valley gooseberries are not successful 

 on the lighter sandy soils, but do well on the heavier soils. A clay loam is desirable — 

 one that is rich, friable but not loose, and one naturally moist is preferable. A pro- 

 tected situation is also necessary — where the snow lodges early in the autumn and 

 remains late in the spring. Unless the fruit grower of Eastern Ontario or the province 

 of Quebec has such a situation and is also prepared to spend some time in spraying the 

 plants to prevent mildew, I would not advise him to plant English gooseberries as a 

 money making venture. He had better stick to the hardier American kinds, such as 

 Pearl, Downing and Houghton. With the conditions as described above and within 

 easy reach of a market, I believe this fruit may be grown profitably in many portions of 

 Canada. There is now a market for considerable quantities of ripe gooseberries where 

 formerly the gooseberry was not recognized as a dessert fruit in any uncooked condition. 



It may be said that the indifferent success of the trials at the Central Farm gives 

 but scant grounds upon which to base recommendations for their cultivation. I am 

 speaking now, however, more on the strength of observations made elsewhere than upon 

 our experience at Ottawa. The following table contains a list of the varieties on trial 

 with notes regarding their health and hardiness. " Slight " means a very small amount 

 of frost injury to the tips. " Little " describes a killing back of three or four inches. 

 " Considerable " where killed back to two-year old wood. " Severe " shows that some 

 plants have been destroyed by winter killing. " Health " refers to their relative im- 

 munity from mUdew. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



Variety. 



Alcock'g King 

 A«ton Red . . . 

 Amber 



Admiration 



Alma 



Antagonist 



Am. Seedling (Am.). 



Archville 



Beauty 



British Crown 



Briton 



Broom , 



Bank of England . 



Briglit Venufl 



Bumper 



Crown Bob 



Clayton 



Champion Red . . . 

 Conquering Hero. 



8a— 7 



Winter Injury. 



Slight 



Considerable . 



Severe 



Slight 



Hardy 



Slight 



Considerable . 



Slight 



Severe 



Considerable . 

 Slight 



Badly . 

 Little '. 



Health 

 1 to 10 max. 



8 

 9 

 6 

 5 

 7 

 5 

 10 

 7 

 8 

 7 

 7 

 9 

 4 

 8 

 4 

 8 

 6 



Fruit. 



White ? 

 Red. 

 Yellow. 

 Red. 



White. 



Green. 



<( 



Red. 



Yellow. 

 » 



Red. 



