THE GOOSEBERRY. 



Ribes Grossularia — Grossulaceoe of Botanists. 



The Gooseberry is found wild in most of the northern and middle 

 portions of our country, but, with few exceptions, its fruit is prickly 

 and unworthy. On some of the islands of our upper Lakes, where 

 the climate is moist and cool, there are varieties that produce abun- 

 dantly of fruit, small in size, but of good flavor, smooth and free 

 of prickles. Our garden varieties generally cultivated, have all 

 been mtroduced from England, reproduction of new kinds from seed 

 having been rarely attempted in this country, owing to the low price 

 at which the best kinds can be purchased in England, and the almost 

 certainty of success of importations made in the autumn. 



The moist, cool climate of Lancashire, England, joined to the en- 

 thusiasm for culture of this fruit by a class of people employed 

 there as weavers, and possessing only very small yards or gardens, 

 has been the origin of most of our approved varieties. Gooseberry 

 Shows were held in England as early as 1743 ; and it has long been 

 customary to issue annually a Gooseberry Book, in which all new 

 varieties are noticed and all previous varieties named, with accounts 

 of size, &c. This list has now swollen to over twelve hundred kinds ; 

 yet a selection embracing those truly best and most profitable, and 

 with distinctive marks, would not exceed forty kinds. 



Throughout our Southern and inland States, except in sections 

 bordering on large bodies of water, it requires great care to succeed 

 well with this fruit. The deep, rich soil of our Western praries 

 suits the plant in its growth, but the heat and dry atmosphere, in sec- 

 tions distant from bodies of water, induce mildew to the destruc- 

 tion of perfect fruit. Easily grown from seed, it is worth the att-en- 

 tion of some one to make experiments by raising from seed of our 

 best varieties, sown in the rich soils of the West ; the result of 

 which, it might safely be expected, would be plants, vigorous, and 

 comparatively free from disease as our natives. 



Propagation.— Seed should be sown in rich loam, covered half an 

 inch deep, and shaded from all but morning sun. This course is 

 only advisable where production of new varieties is the object. The 

 most general mode of propagating is by cuttings. These should be 

 made of the new wood of present year, say in August, or early in 

 September, or as scon as the season's growth is completed and the 

 wood ripened. The cutting should be about ten inches long, with 



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