THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 19 



tect the people from such impositions. If men like to part with their 

 money foolishly what right has government to interfere. In these 

 days of light every man may easily inform himself, so that he can know 

 the true value of whatever is offered him, and if he buys without 

 knowing it, he has only himself to blame for his folly. 



THE DOWNING GOOSEBEKEY. 



BY A. BRIDGE, WEST BROOK, COUNTY OF FRONTENAC. 



I notice by the report, that the Downing Gooseberry bush has 

 proved a failure in quite a number of places. Eor my part, I cannot 

 speak too highly of it ; my bush has given the best of satisfaction, 

 bearing heavy crops of berries every year. I picked nine pounds of 

 berries from my bush this year. Last year the Gooseberry Worm 

 attacked it, and would have destroyed the whole crop, but I picked 

 them off" when about two-thirds grown. In the fall I scattered un- 

 leached wood ashes liberally under the bush, in the spring I gave it 

 another good dressing of the same material, this year there was not 

 a worm to be seen. I think the ashes had a good effect. I never 

 save ashes, but carry them out and scatter around my currant and 

 gooseberry bushes when they are taken from the stove, at all seasons 

 of the year; if there is snow on the ground I throw them on the snow. 

 I never have any trouble with the Currant Worm, but all my neighbors 

 have to use hellebore. I have no doubt that it would be better to save 

 the ashes through the winter season, and scattei' them about the bushes 

 in the spring as soon as the frost is out Ashes are a good fertilizer 

 for currant bushes, and kill the worms that lie in the ground in winter. 



The Downing Gooseberry suits me better than any variety I have 

 tried. I have an English variety that has been planted seven years, 

 and have received no fruit yet. The plants blossom well every year, 

 but from some cause unknown to me, the fruit falls off when the 

 berry begins to form. I received the plants from a friend at Rice 

 Lake, near Cobourg, they fruited well with him every year; I was very 

 much taken up witli them, and got him to send me a few plants, but 

 •they will not bear fruit for me. I have tried them in clay and loam. 

 J intend digging up this variety and putting the Downing in its place. 



