608 [ THE SMALL FRUITS. 



with a rich soil well mixed with old manure or leaf- 

 mould. The seedlings are planted out separately when 

 they are a year old, and usually commence to bear fruit 

 when about three years old. The plant is best propa- 

 gated by cuttings of ripened wood in autumn or in early 

 spring before the buds begin to swell. These should be 

 planted in beds with well prepared soil, or better, in pans, 

 and the rooted plants are separated and planted out 

 when a year old. Suckers, with or without roots, offer 

 another useful method of propagation. 



The Gooseberry requires shade, but should not be 

 planted in the thick shade of trees, as the plant will 

 be more liable to diseases, and cannot produce fine fruits. 

 An open and cool situation along a northern wall is the 

 best for the gooseberry, which should be also manured 

 every year or in alternate years. It can be transplanted 

 at any time from autumn until February, and as it never 

 reaches full development in this climate, it is not neces- 

 sary to plant it at a greater distance than one metre 

 apart. Many sorts of gooseberries have been introduced 

 from time to time, but generally die off after a few years 

 of uncertain existence. The plant is best trained as a 

 half standard, with a stem about half a metre high and 

 pruning should be limited to the removal of dead wood, 

 and of old or sickly twigs, and shoots which are too long 

 may be trimmed back to a well placed bud. New wood 

 should be spared as much as possible, as it invariably 

 produces the finest fruit. 



THE BLACK CURRANT OR QUINSY BERRY. 

 Rides nigrum, L. GROSSULARIACEAE. 



It. Cassis. Yr. = Groseillter noir a cassis. JA.=Ribes isued. 



The Black Currant thrives fairly well in sh ided and 

 cool situations, and in a rather stiff and clayey soil, but 



