GOOSEBERRY. 71 



in the operation. Cut out all the superfluous cross shoots, 

 and prune long ramblers and low stragglers to some well 

 placed lateral or eye : retain a sufficiency of the young well 

 situated laterals and terminals to form successional bearers. 

 In cutting out superfluous and decayed wood, be careful to 

 retain a leading shoot at the end of a principal branch. The 

 superfluous young laterals on the good main branches, in- 

 stead of being taken off clean, may be cut into little stubs 

 of one or two eyes, which will send out fruit buds and spurs. 



Some persons not pruning the Gooseberry bush on right 

 principles, cause it to shoot crowdedly full of young wood 

 in summer, the fruit from which is always small, and does 

 not 7 ipen freely with full flavour ; on which account it is an 

 important point in pruning, to keep the middle of the head 

 open and clear, and to let the occasional shortening of the 

 shoots be sparing and moderate. Between the bearing 

 branches keep a regulated distance of at least six inches at 

 the extremities, which will render them fertile bearers of 

 good fruit. 



The prize cultivators of this fruit in Lancashire are par- 

 ticular iu preparing a very rich soil, and they water occa- 

 sionally with the liquor which drains from dunghills ; and 

 there are s<me who, not content with watering at the root 

 and over the top, place a small saucer of water under each 

 Gooseberry, only six or eight of which are left on a bush ; 

 this is technically called suckling. There are others who 

 ring some of the branches; this is done by cutting out small 

 circles of bark round them ; and by pinching off a great part 

 of the young wood, the strength is thrown to the fruit. 



Unripe Gooseberries may be preserved in bottles against 

 winter : some, after filling the bottles in a dry state, stand 

 them in a slow oven, or in hot water, so as to heat them 

 gradually through without cracking them ; they will keep a 

 whole year if closely corked and sealed as soon as cold. 



The Gooseberry may be forced in pots or boxes, placed 

 in pits, or in the peach house or vinery. " Hay plants iu 



