THE CURRANT AND GOOSEBERRY. 267 



sorts. It is generally supposed that this is effected 

 by variation of soil and climate; and as it is well 

 known that every cultivated vegetable degenerates 

 when repeatedly sown in the same soil, it is by no 

 means improbable that the quality of fruit trees might 

 be very much improved by raising them from the 

 seed, in situations as different as possible from those 

 in which the seed is produced. 



The gooseberry plant, under favourable circum- 

 stances, will attain a considerable age, and grow 

 to a great size. At Duffield, near Derby, there 

 was. in 1821, a bush ascertained to have been 

 planted at least forty-six years, the branches of 

 which extended twelve yards in circumference. At 

 the garden of the late Sir Joseph Banks, at Overton 

 Hall, near Chesterfield, there were, at the same time, 

 two remarkable gooseberry plants, trained against a 

 wall, measuring each upwards of fifty feet from one 

 extremity to the other.* 



The yellow gooseberries have, in general, a more 

 rich and vinous flavour than the white: they are, on 

 that account, the best for the dessert, and also for 

 being fermented into wine. When the sort is choice, 

 and well picked, so that none of the fruit is damaged, 

 or over or under ripe, and when the wine is properly 

 made, it olten puzzles an unpractised taste to distin- 

 guish the wine of the best yellow gooseberries from 

 champaign. It has the flavour and colour, and it 

 mantles like the best of the foreign wine. 



Generally speaking, the green gooseberries are in- 

 ferior to the yellow, and even to the white: many of 

 them, however, run large, and are used for the sake 

 of appearance. Large gooseberries in general, and 

 large green ones in particular, are thick in the husk, 

 and contain less pulp than those of a smaller size ; 

 while the flavour is in general rich in proportion to 



* Hort. Trans, vol. v. 



