1 44 Fruits and Fruit- Trees. 



foregoes no labour, and cheerfully sacrifices personal 

 comforts. The treatment of the bushes is very similar 

 to that above-mentioned as the practice of the Jersey 

 pear-growers. Those designed to produce the show-fruit 

 are kept quite small, and the branches, not more than 

 ten or twelve, are trained so as to be almost horizontal, 

 and not more than nine or ten inches above the surface 

 of the ground, the entire plant being often under a 

 couple of feet in diameter. Immense pains are taken 

 with the manuring; and in order to maintain congenial 

 coolness of the atmosphere immediately around the 

 fruit, a luxuriant growth of chickweed is encouraged, the 

 green sprouts almost touching the pendent berries. The 

 nearer they approach maturity, the more anxious becomes 

 the time, especially if there is prospect of heavy or con- 

 tinuous rain, of all dangers to ripening gooseberries the 

 most to be dreaded, since, if wetted over much, they are 

 certain to burst. To avert this misfortune, fatal to prize- 

 winning, the show-fruit bushes are protected with little 

 tents, admitting of easy removal. Every hour is now 

 momentous. Men intent upon victory not uncommonly 

 sit up all night in case of accident. The story is well 

 authenticated of a Middleton silk-weaver who, a thunder- 

 storm impending, lay awake as if for his life, and with 

 the first patter against the window-panes, rushed to the 

 rescue with his bed- quilt. The show is generally held in 

 the club-room of some country inn. A chairman is 

 appointed. He takes his place at the head of the table, 

 and, scales in hand, calls for the heaviest red, or the 



