The Canadian Horticulturist. 295 



GOOSEBERRIES FROM F. W. PORTER. 



J RING the first week in August, one of our sub- 

 scribers, Mr. F. W. Porter, of Mount Forest, sent 

 us a box containing exceedingly fine samples of 

 gooseberries. The season with him must be much 

 earher than at Grimsby, as all varieties were then 

 over in this section for more than a week. Mr. 

 Porter's samples of Whitesmith were superb, larger 

 than we can grow on our sandy soil in the Niagara Dis- 

 trict It is somewhat inclined to mildew with us, but 

 Mr. Porter reports that he had not a single mildew- 

 ed berry, and such a crop as never before, some 

 bushes yielding eleven quarts, and all his bushes 

 averaging eight or nine quarts each. The samples 

 of Whitesmith were so fine, that we photographed 

 one L>r-inch for the public benefit, exactly the same size as the original. The day 

 is now about over when we can sell small gooseberries in our markets. This 

 season we can scarcely give away small gooseberries, and even Downing and 

 Smith, two fair-sized berries were a drag on the market at four and five cents a 

 quart, while large berries like Whitesmith sold at six cents or over. 



Mr. Porter writes as follows : " The Triumph — not so well-known — 

 deserves special notice. To say it was heavily loaded would not be full justice ; 

 every branch was a marvel of itself, but its greatest beauty lay in its uniformity 

 of size. The stems are a littk on the slim side, more so than Whitesmith and 

 others. The quality is not the highest, still it is good ; but for profit and appear- 

 ance it ought to take well with the public, and Stone & Wellington deserve credit 

 for disseminating so good a variety. I ought to state that as yet it shows no 

 sign of mildew ; I wish I could say as much in favor of the Autocrat, it has 

 only two good qualities, namely, a good grower with stiff shoots and nearly 

 mildew proof. I cannot agree with Mr. Spillet about having the taste of the 

 Green Gage plum. I don't consider it equal to either Industry, Whitesmith or 

 others in my possession, it has no pronounced flavor, but worse than that it is a 

 poor bearer and of only medium sized berries ; I did not think it worth while to 

 send you specimens. The fruit drops as soon as ripe. 



" The Industry being also long in the field does not require any remarks 

 more than to say that it is not the early berry that the English accounts give of it. 

 " Coming to the much talked of Lancashire lad — as this is the first season 

 of its bearing with me — I cannot say much of its merits. I was somewhat dis- 

 appointed in its flavor. I expected something better. Its berries are large and 

 although hairy at first, they become almost smooth when ripe. I agree with 

 ?vlr. Spillett with its being a slow crooked grower, its leaves are a light green, 

 and it is much inclined to mildew. 



