THE GOOSEBEKRY. 



263 



year old wood with wood buds, D^ D. Of 

 these wood buds, the upper one next season 

 would produce a shoot, and the lower ones 

 would probably be transformed into fruit 

 buds. At the base of one of the fruit buds, 

 C, may be seen a small wood bud d / this 

 during next season wull produce a small 

 shoot or spur. The great 23oint to aim at in 

 this country, must always be to maintain a 

 vigorous condition; the moment the plant 

 becomes feeble or stinted, the fruit is so at- 

 tacked with mildew or rast as to be utterly 

 worthless. Hence it is that young plants 

 usually bear excellent crops for the first or 

 second year, while after that the mildew is 

 in some varieties and situations unconquer- 

 able. 



The bush should have a stem of three or 

 four inches in height, and a head composed 

 of five or six main branches, placed at equal 

 distances and inclined outwards, to prevent gooseberry, a, two 

 denseness and confusion in the centre, l'^^ ''ytJ^'f. c] 

 These main branches should be furnished f'uit tuds, d, D' 

 with bearing wood in all their length. The 



31 



Fig. 127. 

 Branch of the 



wood buds, d, a 

 small wood bud at 



production of such a bush may be accom- "le .base of fruit 

 plished by the following means : 



Supposing the young plant as it comes from the nursery 

 to be either a two-year old cutting, or a one-year bedded 

 layer, in either case it will have a stem of two or three 

 inches at least, and a few branches at the top. Before 

 planting, all the buds on the part of the stem to be below 

 the ground are cut out, to prevent them from producing 

 suckers. Among the branches, three of those most favor- 

 ably situated, are selected for the formation of the head, 



