422 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



Gooseberries are planted out and cultivated as already described 

 for currants, and the requirements of the plant in soil, moisture, and 

 manuring, are much the same. 



If the gooseberry is to be grown in tree form, constant attention 

 to removal of suckers is necessary; if in bush form, it will only be 

 necessary to remove too old wood and thin out the new shoots. 

 Suckers should be removed clean from the stem, so as to eradicate 

 the latent buds, and pulling off with a gloved hand, when the suckers 

 become woody enough to withstand breaking, is advised. As with the 

 currant, the borer is a constant menace to the life of a gooseberry 

 plant confined to a single stem. 



Diseases and Pests. The gooseberry is subject to insect depre- 

 dation both in wood and fruit and leaf. The prevailing trouble, 

 however, and that which causes the failure of so many foreign 

 kinds, is the mildew. To escape this nothing is usually done except 

 to select varieties not subject to the disease, but .susceptible varieties 

 can be protected by sulphuring at first appearance of the trouble or 

 by spraying just as the leaves are opening and once a month after- 

 wards with ammonium sulphide, half an ounce to the gallon of water. 

 This does not stain nor poison the fruit. 



There is great difference in the occurrence of mildew in different 

 localities. Great danger seems to inhere in the association of heat 

 and moisture in the air neither heat nor moisture being favorable 

 to it separately. Mr. E. C. Hall of Greenfield, in the Salinas Valley, 

 Monterey County, gives this as the result of his observation : 



Better than a mildew resistant gooseberry bush in a way is a mildew 

 resistant locality and climate as well. In some places, gooseberries mil- 

 dew; other places they do not. There is one condition of climate very 

 essential to success commercially, and that is a cool, dry atmosphere 

 through the growing season. If you have it hot through the day with 

 foggy, wet mornings, success is doubtful. I have tested out some twelve 

 or fifteen kinds, both American and English, and I have yet to find one 

 kind subject to mildew. 



Still to the general planter resistance to mildew is very im- 

 portant. 



Varieties of the Gooseberry. The American varieties, Downing 

 and Houghton's Seedling, chiefly the latter, constitute the main 

 varieties marketed in San Francisco. Early experiments with col- 

 lections of English varieties showed that most of them failed because 

 of mildew; still a few of the green and white sorts, notably the 

 Whitesmith, have succeeded. The proportion of large berries now 

 being marketed is much greater than formerly, and the superior price 

 warrants especial effort to produce them. 



A large English variety, which was brought to California many 

 years ago, is a widely distributed large kind for which the name 

 Berkeley now prevails. It is large and handsome, very prolific, rip- 

 ens early, and is usually free from mildew. 



The Champion, an Oregon seedling grown by Seth Lewelling, is 

 medium sized, very smooth, and thick fleshed, the seeds being few 

 and small. They are free from mildew, and are clean, bright and 



