The Canadian Horticulturist. 359 



(7) " Give your system of pruning / " 



Clear away underneath. Thin out the head so that the hand can be easily 

 inserted in all directions. This will allow of a free circulation of air. Cutting-in 

 I do not practise much, as it induces an abundant growth of weak shoots which 

 thicken up the bush during summer. I prune in the fall last thing. 



(8) " Are not Queen and Chautauqua very nearly alike ? " 



Yes, Queen and Chautauqua are very much alike in foliage, vigor, and 

 in shape, size, and appearance of berry, but at this writing Chautauqua shows 

 just a little disposition to drop its leaves, as you remark, but nothing serious. 

 Queen is as green as a leek, 



(9) " The most prolific berry 1 " 



Champion is the most prolific berry that I have tested so far. It is enor- 

 mously productive and vigorous, but not any improvement on size on the Pearl, 

 which for vigor is hard to beat. Red Jacket is its equal in this respect, but I 

 cannot yet pronounce upon its productiveness. 



(11) Yes, it is apparently " an American production." I am of the opinion 

 at present that it is a native or it may be a seedling of some English variety. 



(11) " What varieties would you recommend for extensive planting V^ 

 Taking into consideration the price of stock, I would take Downing for 



main crop, with Pearl in less numbers, on account of higher price. If these 

 varieties are sprayed for rust, heavily manured, and renewed as described above, 

 they are fine berries. I should also get a more limited number of Champion, 

 Triumph, Red Jacket, and Queen, and propagate them. Another point is, I 

 would watch carefully the reports of the e.Kperiment stations, as there are quite 

 a number of very promising novelties being tested, and some one of these may be 

 the ideal berry. 



(12) ^^ Have you any success in propagating from cuttings 1" 



By the ordinary way it can't be done successfully. Layering will be found 

 much more satisfactory. In a wet, warm time shoots, not suckers, will root in 

 two or three weeks. 



(13) " Cause of Downing dropping its leaves prematurely V 



I do not find the Downing to have this habit now. Some years ago when 

 I did not spray, and gave but little cultivation, it had that habit, but now the 

 leaves stay on till killed by frost. This I attribute mostly to spraying, but culti- 

 vation may be a factor. 



All questions cheerfully answered through medium of this journal, or 

 privately, when necessary. 



Gooseberry Experiment Station, Nantyr. Stanlkv Spillett. 



