548 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



The soil should be made liini round their roots; and if the spot on which they 

 are planted is exposed to high winds, each plant should be securely fixed to 

 a stake in a manner, and with material soft enouf^h, tliat no damage to the 

 bark of the stem or branches may result. 



They are often planted in rows round walks, and alternately with Ai)ple 

 and other trees. In such positions they do very well, and serve to economise 

 space ; but the fruit will be better in quality if the bushes are in open 

 quarters, for they are not quite so good under the shade of other trees. For 

 tarts and other jiurposes for which green Gooseberries are used they are 

 equally good. Our advice, however, is to put everything in quarters by 

 itself, for thus a rotation of crops can be carried out, and this .should always 

 be kept in view. 



Young plants only should be planted ; and in order to lay a good foundation 

 for the future bush they should be cut pretty well back. We prefer globular- 

 shaped bushes, with the branches regularly disposed all over the globe at a 

 distance of from 8 to 14 inches. It is of much importance that the sun and 

 air penetrate to every part of the bush, and therefore growths and spurs alike 

 must be kept clear of each other. Some people prefer cup-shaped bushes, but 

 there is no use haviug some square feet in the centre of each bush unoccupied 

 with branches. It is a waste of space, and no compensating good follows the 

 practice ; and with branches thinly disposed, the sun and air penetrate freely 

 enough to produce first-rate results. As nearly as possible all branches should 

 point directly and straightly from a common centre. Branches crossing 

 each other, or crooked and twisted, should not be tolerated. 



The Gooseberry bears on spurs which are produced freely on the old 

 branches, and also on young wood. The best fruit is always on the young 

 wood, more especially when the spurs on the old wood are allowed to grow in 

 great thick crowded masses. Most Gooseberry-bushes in cottage gardens are 

 in this latter state. We never yet met the owner of a Gooseberry-bush who 

 did not consider himself a "don" at pruning Gooseberries. The universal 

 plan among cottagers (we are sorry to add, sometimes professional gardeners) 

 is to snap off every young shoot, and they thereby deprive themselves of any 

 good Gooseberries that might have been produced. The crowding spurs they 

 never touch — it is not in their plan. The result is, year after year, a great 

 swarm of miserable fruit, which, although numerically very great, is as a crop 

 (by weight) very small. Still the quantity is matter of much joy, and even 

 pride. 



We have described how not to prune. Everybody with eyes can see the 

 resulting failure ; but it is simple, and hence its general adoption. The best 

 way is also simple, but requires more mental application. It is, in the first 

 place, to keep all spurs thin and close to the main branches. They should 

 never extend more than 1 or 2 inches, else crowding will result, and crowding 

 means miserable produce. The second rule is, to retain as much young wood 

 as possible. For this purpose all terminals should be left nearly full length. 

 Only the small or crooked points should be removed in those which grow 

 upright, and only the portion of the drooping kinds which point downwards. 

 Still, crowding must not be allowed. To secure a continual supply of young 

 wood without overcrowding, there must be a continual cutting out of old 

 branches, and a continual bringing forward of younger branches to take their 

 place. At the same time the bushes are not to be kept low. Gardens may be 

 restricted laterally, but few are so vertically. Then grow your bushes to the 

 height of 6 feet or more if you can. One G-feet Gooseberry-bush is worth. 



