62 THE FLORIST. 



9. Saunders's Cheshire Lass. Fruit large, oblong, white; skin 

 downy and thin. Ripens early, is very well-flavoured, and is there- 

 fore a very desirable sort. 



10. Cleworth's White Lion. A large oblong or obovate berry, 

 with a thin transparent white skin, which is generally slightly hairy, 

 but sometimes smooth. A very good Gooseberry, the value of which 

 is increased by its late period of ripening. 



11. Taylor s Bright Venus. The berry is rather below the middle 

 size, obovate in form, very slightly hairy. Colour dull white ; but when 

 very ri])e the fruit is overspread with a thin bloom, and in that state 

 the flavour is exquisite. Ripens about the middle season of Gooseber- 

 ries ; and the fruit will hang upon the tree in dry weather till it shrivels. 



12. Cook's White Eagle. Fruit large, obovate. Skin thick, 

 smooth ; colour white. Ripens late, and is well-flavoured ; which 

 qualities, combined with its large size, make it valuable. 



13. Early Sulphur. Fruit small, almost round, but many berries 

 are rather oblong. Skin thin, pale yellow, very hairy. Ripens very 

 early, for which reason it is desirable ; but in regard to flavour, it is 

 not so good as the next variety. 



14. Yellow Champagne. Resembles the preceding sort, but the 

 fruit is not quite so large ; ripens ten days or a fortnight later, and 

 is better flavoured. 



15. Beaumonfs Smiling Beauty. Fruit large, oblong, generally 

 narrowest at the base. Skin thin and smooth ; colour light yellow, 

 or rather yellowish white. Ripens early, and is one of the best- 

 flavoured of the large yellow Gooseberries. 



16. Early Green Hai?y. A small round hairy dark-green thin- 

 skinned berry. Ripens early, has a sweet and agreeable flavour, and 

 is therefore a desirable table sort. 



17. Parkinson's Laurel. Fruit large, roundish oblong; skin thin, 

 very downy, pale green, or nearly white. Ripens late, and is well- 

 flavoured. 



18. Massey's Heart of Oak. Berry large and oblong, with thick 

 tapering footstalks. Skin thin, smooth, green with yellowish veins ; 

 flavour very good. 



19. Pitmaston Greengage. A small obovate berry. Skin rather 

 thick for a small fruit, smooth, green, but generally covered with 

 bloom in the same way as No. 11. Ripens late, and will hang en 

 the tree some time afterwards. An excellent-flavoured sort. 



20. Rough Red. Berry small, nearly round, very hairy, dark red ; 

 skin thickish. Ripens early, and has a brisk agreeable flavour; it is, 

 however, chiefly esteemed for making jam. 



Among the twenty varieties above described are included most of 

 the best dessert Gooseberries, several that are excellent for the making 

 of jam, and a few of the highest-flavoured of the large sorts that were 

 formerly grown for prizes in Lancashire, but are now mostly super- 

 seded by newer and still larger ones. Those who think twenty sorts 

 too many to cultivate, may take Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 

 14, and 17, which comprise the earliest, latest, and best-flavoured. 



J. B. Whiting. 



