CHAPTER XXV. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



THIS is one of the most popular of our British, fruits, 

 equally enjoyed by the peasant and the peer, for the 

 garden " quarter " of ripe gooseberries is often the most 

 favoured haunt by the proprietor of many a country 

 seat. 



There is a very wide selection of popular sorts, and 

 the artizan and rural gardener throughout the midland 

 and northern counties have each their favourite prize 

 varieties, many of them new sorts raised by the artizan 

 or cottage gardener himself. 



Gooseberries are often sold, as regards half the crop, 

 in a green state, and thus the quality of the remaining 

 half is much improved. 



The pruning is done, as a rule, in the early spring, 

 and consists in retaining all the more vigorous of the 

 upward growing (white) new wood, thinning out where 

 required, and removing or shortening the young branches 

 that grow downwards. Thin out the old wood as much 

 as possible without spoiling the shape of the tree, as the 

 fruit is mostly produced on the younger shoots. 



In districts where gooseberries are much affected by 

 caterpillars it is best not to risk much of this fruit, as 



