128 FRUIT BOOK. 



These bushes are easily raised from cuttings, pro- 

 vided you have moist soil, by placing them into the 

 ground immediately upon the falling of the leaf, 

 when the shoots of the summer are well ripened, or 

 very early in the following spring. These should be 

 taken from the strongest and cleanest shoots of the 

 last summer's growth, rubbing off the buds to within 

 three or four at the top ; they should then be in- 

 serted from three to five inches deep, according to 

 the nature of the soil and situation ; all buds that 

 may push below those left at the top, to form the head 

 of the bush, should be cut away. Gooseberries bear 

 their fruit on the last year's shoots, and on short 

 natural studs or spurs ; they will continue to bear on 

 the same buds or spurs for many years, especially if 

 the branches are kept open and free for the admis- 

 sion of the sun and air. To have large fruit, they 

 should be trained to resemble a well formed tree in 

 miniature ; the ground around the bushes should be 

 enriched with well-rotted manure ; cut out all de- 

 cayed or irregular branches, let none be permitted 

 to grow across each other ; also the superabundant 

 lateral shoots of the last summer, on the old wood 

 near the ground, only retaining here and there one 

 in vacant parts, to form successional bearers, and to 

 supply the places of unfruitful branches. 



THE CURRANT. 



Both the black and red Currant are indigenous to 

 Britain. The white, which is supposed to be a 



