316 THE GARDENER. [Jum 



to the cultivation of the Gooseberry in the counties named witliout 

 the operation of some external stimulus ; therefore Gooseberry shows 

 have long been established in difterent parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, 

 and Cheshire. The time and conditions of these meetings are deter- 

 mined by certain rules, and the minor details of each show are gene- 

 rally settled in tlie spring, from which time until the day of the ex- 

 hibition each competitor entered in the list subscribes a small weekly 

 sum towards the purchasing of prizes. The prizes are sometimes given 

 in money, but often in kind. The exhibition of the fruit, and adjudica- 

 tion of prizes, generally take place in July or August, and the weight 

 of the different sorts is published in the report of the shows given in 

 the newspapers of the town where the show has been held, while the 

 result of the shows in various parts of the kingdom have for a long 

 time been printed in Manchester, and circulated chiefly among the 

 growers, in what is called ' The Gooseberry Book.' 



We may now state a few particulars to illustrate the progress which 

 has been made in the cultivation of the Gooseberry. About a century 

 ago it was considered an extraordinary thing when a Gooseberry was 

 grown which weighed down the old spade-ace guinea which was then 

 in circulation. Berries were soon after produced that weighed twice 

 as much; and now, little would be thought of show fruit which would 

 not weigh five or six times as much. The largest Gooseberry on record 

 was a handsome yellow fruit called Teazer, which was shown at 

 Stockport in July 1830, and weighed 32 dwts. 13 grs. The heaviest 

 red berry on record was the Roaring Lion, exhibited at Nantwich 

 in 1825, and weighed 31 dwts. 16 grs. The heaviest white was a fruit 

 of The Ostrich, 24 dwts. 20 grs., shown at Ormskirk in 1832, in 

 ■which year the largest red was only 27 dwts. 13 grs. In the same 

 season a seedling green was exhibited at Nantwich of the weight of 

 30 dwts. 18 grs. To this statement of the weight to which the fruit 

 has sometimes been grown, it may be of interest to add that a seedling 

 plant of reputation has been known to produce when sold upwards of 

 J32. This is a rare case ; but it is not at all unusual for twenty 

 guineas to be brought in by the distribution of a single bush. 



J. G., W. 



STRAWBEimiES. 



By the time these notes are seen in the ' Gardener,' many Strawberry- 

 growers will be thinking more of gathering their crops than culti- 

 vating their plants ; but details of the latter should closely follow 

 the operation of the former ; and it will generally be found that July, 

 August, and September are important months for Strawberry-culture. 

 It is then that old plantations must be restricted in growth, good young 

 plants secured, and fresh plantations formed. All the best Straw- 

 berries in the garden here are had from plants from six to twelve 



