1358 



GOOSEBERRY 



GOOSEBERRY 



1668), a seedling of the Hough ton, which was origi- 

 nated by Charles Downing, Newburgh, New York, and 

 first brought into notice in 1853. It is thought by some 

 authorities to have been a hybrid between Houghton 

 and Ribes Grossularia, the European species. The 

 Downing is still more largely planted in America than 

 any other variety of goose- 

 berry. This is doubtless 

 largely due to the fact that 

 comparatively little has been 

 done toward improving the 

 gooseberry in America during 

 the past fifty years. The 

 most work seems to have 

 been done by William Saun- 

 ders, late Director of the 



1663. Ribes Grossularia in 

 bloom. (Natural size) 



1664. Leaves of Ribes Grossularia. 



(Natural size) 



Dominion Experimental Farms, the originator of the 

 Pearl, Josselyn (Red Jacket), and many other seed- 

 lings and crosses not yet on the market. There is a 

 good field for work in improving the native goose- 

 berries, as there is no apparent reason why the size 

 should not be equal to the best English varieties. The 

 quality of the American varieties is considered by some 

 to be better than the average English gooseberry, but 

 the flavor is not nearly so good as the best of the 

 English sorts. 



As the gooseberry is found growing wild almost or 

 quite to the Arctic circle, its culture will no doubt be 

 extended very far north. The most useful native species 

 is the smooth gooseberry, Ribes hirtellum, which is 

 found wild from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Next in 

 importance is the prickly gooseberry, Ribes Cynosbati, 

 which has not so wide a range. Both of these goose- 

 berries are of good quality. An interesting hybrid 

 gooseberry was originated by Saunders by crossing 

 Ilibes Cynosbati, with Warrington, a cultivated Eng- 

 lish variety. The size of the fruit was increased very 

 much, but the gooseberry although good in quality 

 remained prickly. If greater hardiness is desired it may 

 be got in Ribes lacustre, which grows almost or quite to 

 the Arctic circle. In its present state it is not nearly so 

 useful as the other two species, the fruit being smaller 

 and inferior in quality. There are other native species, 

 such as Ribes Lobbii, R. divaricatum, and R. rotundi- 

 folium, which may also play their part in the future 

 improvement of the native gooseberry. 



There is a steady though limited demand for goose- 

 berries hi America, but the gooseberry has never been 

 generally popular on this continent. In England, 

 gooseberries are used in great quantities for eating out 

 of hand and for jam; in America few are used raw, most 

 of the fruit being picked green and put into pies, or 

 used as jam or canned. Those who are successful in 

 growing the English varieties in America are usually 

 enthusiastic in their praise as a fruit for eating raw. 



Propagation. 



Gooseberries may be propagated either from cut- 

 tings or by layering. The average person will usually 

 get the best results from layering, as cuttings are often 

 very unsatisfactory. To propagate by layering, the 

 bushes should be pruned severely in the autumn. This 

 will induce a strong growth of young wood the next 

 season. When these have made most of their growth, 

 which will be early in July, the earth is heaped up 

 around and through the bush until only the tips of the 

 young shoots are left uncovered. The soil is packed 

 down and then a covering of loose earth thrown over to 

 retain moisture better. Most of the American varie- 

 ties will have rooted well by autumn, and the young 

 plants may be detached and planted in nursery rows 

 either the same fall or the following spring, to be grown 

 there for one season. English varieties usually take two 

 years to root, and the soil must be left about the bushes 

 for that time. Cuttings of American varieties will 

 sometimes give fairly satisfactory results if made from 

 well-ripened wood and treated as currant cuttings. 

 The cuttings are made 6 to 8 inches or less in length, 

 and buried in soil over winter. In spring they are set 

 out in nursery rows, planting deep enough so that only 

 one or two buds are above ground. Both American 

 and English varieties may be propagated from green- 

 wood cuttings in a greenhouse, or hotbed with bottom 

 heat. 



Soil, planting and culture. 



The gooseberry is a moisture-loving plant, hence a 

 soil should be chosen in which there will be a constant 

 supply of water during the growing season. In dry 

 soils gooseberries suffer very much in a dry time, the 

 foliage often falling prematurely and the fruit being 

 scalded by the sun. The soil should be a cool one. 

 Moist soils are usually cool, but the surface of a sandy 

 loam soil gets very hot in the summer, hence is not the 

 best for this fruit. Well-drained, heavy clay loams are 

 the most suitable for gooseberries as these usually are 

 both cool and moist. The soil should have abundant 

 plant-food easily made available. A good application 

 of well-rotted manure thoroughly worked into the soil 

 will do much to bring about these favorable condi- 

 tions. The soil should be well prepared and made 

 mellow as for a crop of roots. As gooseberries start 

 to grow early in the spring it is usually preferable to 

 plant in the autumn, and as the leaves drop early they 

 may be planted in September and will be in good con- 

 dition when winter comes. Well-rooted cuttings or 

 layers may be used as plants. They should be set in 

 rows about 6 feet apart and 4 feet apart in the rows. 



Cultivation should be thorough to retain moisture 

 and keep the soil cool, and as gooseberry roots near 



1665. Ribes hirtellum 

 in bloom. ( X %) 



1666. Leaves of Ribes hirtellum 



(Natural size) 



