2i 4 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



formed as described for pyramidal currants (page 159). The erect-growing varieties form 

 the best pyramids and contrast well with the pendulous varieties grown as standards. 



Pruning Intelligent pruning after the bushes are formed is absolutely essential to 

 secure good crops of fruit. Amateurs prune too little, cottagers and farmers are afraid 

 to use the knife ; the result is stunted, tufted, thickly-set weak growths, bearing small 

 and inferior fruit. Other growers err in the opposite direction, and by cutting back 

 all the young shoots systematically, cause the trees to produce a thicket of luxuriant 

 growths annually, with a modicum of gooseberries. A constant crop of useful fruit is 

 the outcome of pruning intelligently conducted, namely : 1, Main branches thinly dis- 

 posed, shortening them only as may be necessary to provide more branches in the proper 

 direction, and to preserve the symmetry of the bush. 2, Reserving well-situated young 

 shoots on the main branches where there is space to admit the hand between them 

 without coming in contact with the spines. 3, Remembering that the finest fruit is 

 produced on firm annual shoots, always on condition that they are not overcrowded. 

 4, Letting these extend their full length, or nearly so, in fully formed bushes, having due 

 regard to limits, direction, and distance apart. 5, Pinching or shortening all side growths 

 issuing from the branches, other than those specified, to four or six leaves about 

 midsummer, and cutting them back in autumn to an inch to form spurs. 6, Cutting out 

 worn-out branches to make room for young growths in the right direction for supplanting 

 the old. 7 , Removing branches, whether worn out or not, that overcrowd the bushes 

 as soon as the crops are gathered in summer. 



The foregoing points in pruning, rightly comprehended and correctly practised, never 

 fail to render gooseberry trees pleasing and productive. Beginners will be assisted in 

 summer and winter pruning by the sketches on the next page. 



In Q (Fig. 65) is seen the principle of bearing on young wood, the formation of 

 spurs (#), and the production of a young shoot (d). These produce fruit for gathering 

 green by the handful at one grasp the following year, which means money gained to 

 the grower of gooseberries for sale. The enormous crop does not exhaust the trees, 

 because the whole or major portion of the berries are gathered young, and, when part 

 of a crop is allowed to ripen, the green portion is removed from the weakest, heaviest- 

 laden branches, retaining the finest berries in the best positions on the most vigorous 

 growths. By spurring-in a shoot which has been summer pruned, finer berries are 

 produced, as represented in M, but only two instead of seven, borne by an unpruned 

 shoot, as shown in Q. When the object is green berries the unpruned branch has 



