FRUIT-GARDENING. 91 



retained for bearers should therefore be left at full length, or 

 nearly so. The first pruning should be done before the buds 

 swell, so as not to endanger their being rubbed off in the opera- 

 tion. Cut out all the superfluous cross-shoots, and prune 

 long ramblers and low stragglers to some well placed lateral or 

 eye ; retain a sufficiency of the young well situated laterals and 

 terminals to form successional bearers. In cutting out super- 

 fluous and decayed wood, be careful to retain a leading shoot 

 at the end of a principal branch. The superfluous young 

 laterals on the good main branches, instead of being taken off 

 clean, may be cut into little stubs of one or two eyes, which 

 will send out fruit-buds and spurs. 



Some persons not pruning the Gooseberry bush on right 

 principles, cause it to shoot crowdedly full of young wood in 

 summer, the fruit from which is always small, and does not 

 ripen freely with full flavor ; on which account it is an import- 

 ant point in pruning, to keep the middle of the head open and 

 clear, and to let the occasional shortening of the shoots be 

 sparing and moderate. Between the bearing branches keep a 

 regulated distance of at least six inches at the extremities, 

 which will render them fertile bearers of good fruit. 



The prize cultivators of this fruit in Lancashire are particular 

 in preparing a very rich soil, and they water occasionally with 

 the liquor which drains from dunghills ; and there are some 

 who, not content with watering at the root and over the top, 

 place a small saucer of water under each Gooseberry, only six 

 or eight of which are left on a bush. This is technically called 

 suckling. There are others who ring some of the branches ; 

 this is done by cutting out small circles of bark around them ; 

 and by pinching off most of the young wood, the strength is 

 thrown to the fruit. 



"When bushes are procured from the public nurseries, let the 

 general supply be in such kinds as will ripen in succession. 

 They may be planted in the kitchen-garden, in single rows, 

 along the side of the walks or paths, or in compartments by 

 themselves, in rows from six to eight feet apart from row to 



