THE CUEEANT.] 



PRACTICE or HOETICULTUEE. [the goo3ebeekt. 



hovvever, is somewhat difficult to strike by 

 cuttings. 



THE SERVICE-TREE. 

 This tree is a native of the mountainous 

 parts of Cornwall, and, though not much cul- 

 tivated, must not be entirely overlooked. Its 

 fruit has a peculiar kind of acid flavour, and is 

 used only when thoroughly mellowed by 

 keeping. There is both a pear-shaped and 

 an apple-shaped variety, both of which may 

 be propagated by layers, or by grafting on 

 seedling plants of their own species. 



THE MULBERRY. 



This is a fruit but little known in Scotland, 

 although, in old gardens, there are to be 

 found some aged trees which, in favourable 

 seasons, yield some berries. The plant is 

 originally from Persia ; and, in this country, 

 requires to be cultivated in warm situations. 

 During the months of August and September, 

 the fruit is in request for desserts, possessing a 

 rich aromatic flavour, and a fine sub-acid juice. 

 Where it grows abundantly, wine is made 

 from it : and, in Devonshire, a little of the 

 juice added to full-bodied cider, produces a 

 delightful beverage, known as Mulberry Cider, 

 which preserves its flavour for several months. 

 The tree is propagated by layers or by cut- 

 tings ; also by branches of an inch or more 

 in diameter. 



THE CURRANT. 



Under the general title of Small Fruits, the 

 red, white, and black currant, the gooseberry, 

 the raspberry, tlie strawberry, and the cran- 

 berry are usually cultivated in this country. 

 Their uses in cookery, confectionery, as well 

 as in making some wines, give them con- 

 siderable importance. Besides our red and 

 white currants, there are included, in the 

 Eibes Jiithrum, many sub-varieties. Among 

 these may be noticed as the principal — the 

 Euby Castle, the Dutch Eed, Knight's Early 

 Eed, Knight's Sweet Eed, Wilmot's Large 

 Ec(], Goodwin's Eed, Champagne, Dutch 

 White, AVoolly-lcaved Dutch, Victoria White, 

 and Wilmot's New White.— The Black Cur- 

 rants comprise the Common Black, Black 

 Kaplos, and Ogdcn's Black Grape. 



Efd and wliite currants are easily propa- 

 960 



gated by cuttings, and succeeii in any sort of 

 common garden soil. They thrive best, how- 

 ever, in warm moist situations, where they may 

 have the benefit of plenty of air. When 

 planted by themselves, in separate compart- 

 ments, or trained as dwarf standards, or as 

 bushes from single stems of about a foot high, 

 they are best : but care must be taken that 

 the principal branches do not cross each other. 

 In winter, the young bearing- wood is short- 

 ened down into spurs of from one to two 

 inches in length, — The Black Currant succeeds 

 best in a shady situation, with a deep, moist 

 soil. Its culture is much the same as that 

 of the other currants, only the young shoots 

 are not spurred. 



THE GOOSEBERRY. 



The bush which bears this exquisite fruit is 

 a native of several parts of Europe ; and, in 

 the Vallais, abounds in copse-woods, where it 

 produces a small, green, hairy, and highly- 

 flavoured fruit. In England it has been na- 

 turalised in various places against old walls, 

 among ruins, and in the woods and hedges 

 about Darlington. In Lancashire it is culti- 

 vated in greater perfection than in any other 

 part of Britain. The following are some of 

 the sorts recommended by the Loudon Horti- 

 cultural Society, Of the Yellow Kind — the 

 Golden Tellow, the Yellow Ashton, and the 

 Yellow Champagne, the Smooth Yellow, 

 Smiling Beauty, Eumbellion, Sulphur, and 

 Yellow Smith. — Of the Eed Kind — the Eob 

 Eoy, Ironmonger, Eed Champagne, Keen's 

 Seedling, Small Eed Globe, Lord of the 

 Manor, Leigh's Eiflemau, Wellington's 

 Glory, Shipley's Black Prince, and the Eed 

 AVarrington, — Of the White Kind — the 

 Cheshire Lass, White Champagne, White 

 Crystal, Bright Venus, White Damson, White 

 Smith, and the White Honey, — Of the Green 

 Kind — the Green-gage, Pitmaston, Langley 

 Green, Green Gascoigne, Green Laurel, Late 

 Green, Gregory's Perfection, Green Walnut, 

 Cupper's Bonnie Lass, and the Jolly Tar. 



The gooseberry-bush thrives best in a loose, 

 rich soil, which readily absorbs, but does not 

 retain much moisture. It may be propagated 

 by all the modes of application to shrubs or 

 trees ; even by pieces of the roots ; but the 

 mode usually adopted is by cuttings for con- 



