22 Houghton's Seedling Gooseberry. 



on the question, Whether fruit-growers should grow the best fruit, or 

 that from which they could realize the most profit ; but have never 

 known the question very satisfactorily settled. It is easy to see, how- 

 ever, that the law of supply and demand will mainly settle it ; and that 

 the education of the people in the knowledge of what are the best 

 fruits, and the most cheaply grown, will bring producer and consumer 

 into accord, and make them both of a right mind in this matter. 



October, 1869. 



HOUGHTON'S SEEDLING GOOSEBERRY. 



This was the first introduced of the American gooseberries, which 

 have almost superseded the English varieties in our gardens, being, un- 

 like the latter, entirely free from mildew. It is one of the best flavored 

 of the x\merican varieties, and well worthy of cultivation, though its 

 habit of growth is not as good as that of some others. The best w^ay 

 of managing it is, to take a young plant groAvn from a cutting, with all 

 but two or three of the upper eyes removed, and drive a durable stake 

 by it, to which the leading shoot should be carefully tied. Every sum- 

 mer one or two tiers of branches, which will take a drooping position, 

 should be grown from the main stem. In this way it may be carried 

 to the height of five or six feet, forming a beautiful pyramid, than which 

 there will be few objects in the fruit garden more attractive. Being 

 very productive, a few such plaiits will give an ample supply for a 

 large family. With a little thinning and shortening of the wood early 

 in spring, taking care to remove the old wood, and retain such as is 

 young and vigorous, the plants will last a long time, and the fruit will 

 be much finer than when left unpruncd. Or, if preferred, the slender, 

 flexible shoots of this variety may easily be trained to a trellis, and for 

 this method a partially shaded place will be quite as good as one ex- 

 posed to the full rays of the sun. 



