558 



CULTURE OF THE GOOSEBERRY, 



which accompanies mackerel and other 

 fish, and which adds to the piquancy of 

 even these delicate dishes, requires the 

 green gooseberry only, which are even 

 known by the name of the fish. They are 

 also preserved for this purpose by the 

 method used at Appert, Belgium, England, 

 and the north of France, — the only coun- 

 tries where the art of the gastronome num- 

 bers genuine disciples, who appreciate 

 justly the green fruit of the gooseberry. 



We will not say this fruit cannot attain 

 to maturity with our neighbors. On the 

 contrary, the climate of England is more 

 favorable than ours to the development of 

 all kinds of gooseberries ; and they reach 

 there a perfect maturity. Moreover, these 

 plants grow there in the gardens, without 

 culture, and bear constantly. It also flou- 

 rishes here; but the heat of our summers 

 is often fatal to great numbers of our 

 gooseberries, and we cannot, moreover, 

 hope to obtain fruits equal in size to 

 those which the English raise for exhibi- 

 tion or prizes. 



We have already remarked, that, by 

 sowing seeds and by hybridizing, we may 

 obtain in France, as well as in England, 

 new and meritorious varieties. These 

 seedlings are so easily raised that there is 

 always an advantage in raising them, and 

 in reserving for them those sorts raised 

 from seed, instead of those multiplied by 

 i cuttings. This last mode of increase is, 

 indeed, employed to propagate the finer 

 varieties ; but, by sowing only seeds of 

 fine fruits, remarkable kinds are infallibly 

 obtained. 



These seedling plants are very vigorous, 

 and resist much better than others the 

 heat of summer, their greatest enemy in 

 our Auvergne climate, and still more so 

 in the south of France. [We commend 

 this fact to American gooseberry growers. 



Ed.] All kinds of soil axe suitable for the 

 mackerel gooseberry ; [i, e., those grown 

 for tarts.] They prefer, however, that 

 which is rather new and strong ; they 

 shrink from the sun, but like still less, 

 entire shade ; and, as between two evils, 

 we must choose the least, it is better to 

 plant them in the open sunshine, provided 

 their roots are shaded, and that the ground 

 which surrounds them preserves its mois- 

 ture. In the other case, the plant withers 

 before ripening its fruit, and perishes en- 

 tirely, or, at least, down to the ground. 



The best method of treating these goose- 

 berries, is to cover the earth around their 

 roots with stones, tiles, or with a sort of 

 paving brick or tile ; and this practice, so 

 necessary for the plants in question, is al- 

 ways excellent for all fruit or other trees ; 

 and we always find those specimens doing 

 well which are planted in well paved 

 yards, where their roots are kept cool, and 

 protected by the stones. This may readily 

 be understood, when it is remembered that 

 stones do not exhaust the ground, like any 

 plants or weeds which might spring up 

 therein ; and also, that a close pavement, 

 or tiling, would prevent the evaporation 

 of the soil, its consequent drying, as well 

 as hinder it from burning. 



This action of the sun, with the conse- 

 quent heat and evaporation, often injurious 

 to large trees, whose roots spread to a con- 

 siderable extent for nourishment, is often 

 fatal to the gooseberry, whose smaller and 

 more delicate roots suffer excessively in a 

 hot and dry climate. 



T/te roots being protected, the gooseberry 

 may be cultivated in three different ways : 

 as a bush or shrub, as a vertical espalier, 

 or as a horizontal espalier. 



As a bush or shrub. It sufiices, for the 

 first purpose, to let it grow at will ; and 

 for the second, to cut out down to the 



