200 



Culture of the Gooseberry. 



Vol. VII 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Culture of the Gooseberry. 



As the time for planting and pruning trees, 

 ■&c., is fast approaching, I desire, in this short 

 communication, to call the attention of our 

 horticulturists and farmers to the very use- 

 ful, though much neglected, gooseberry. It 

 is generally considered, that the large, or 

 English gooseberry, will not thrive well in 

 this climate. I am, however, inclined to 

 think that this is, in a great degree, an erro- 

 neous opinion, founded more on hearsay than 

 actual experiment : nearly as much depends 

 on the proper culture, as on the climate. A 

 gooseberry bush should always be trained to 

 one stem, and planted in an open lot — never 

 against a fence : it should be well trimmed 

 every spring, and particularly in the middle 

 of the bush, nearly all the wood should be 

 cut out; never allow two branches to rub 

 against each other; — dig well around, and 

 manure the roots at the time of pruning. 

 If these simple precautions are used, mildew 

 will rarely or never be seen; while the fruit 

 will be both large and delicious. This I 

 know from experience; indeed, it is entirely 

 by these means, that the English gardeners 

 have been able to bring this fruit to such 

 perfection, as is seen in the gardens of that 

 country. 



According to Tusser, the gooseberry only 

 became a garden fruit in his time, which 

 was in the reign of Henry the eighth. In 

 his "Five Hundred Pointes of Good Hus- 

 bandrie," he says : 



" The barberry respis,* and gooseberry too, 

 Look now to be planted, as other things do." 



The fruit was undoubtedly very small at 

 this time, as may be inferred 'from the sur- 

 prise expressed by Pepys, who lived about 

 a century after the time of Tusser, on see- 

 ing gooseberries " as big as nutmegs." It 

 is not at all uncommon in that country, to 

 see them as large as our largest plums. 

 " The largest gooseberry ever grown, was a 

 handsome yellow fruit, called 1'eazer, which 

 was exhibited at a show at Stockport, in 

 July, 1830, and weighed 32 dwts. 13 grs. 

 The heaviest red berry on record, was the 

 Roaring Lion, exhibited at Nantvvich, in 

 1825, and weighing 31 dwts. 16 grs. The 

 heaviest white, was the Ostrich, 24 dwts. 20 

 grs., shown at Ormskirk, in 1832. In the 

 same year, a seedling green was exhibited 

 at Nantwich, of the uncommon weight of 

 30 dwts. 18 grs." To this statement of the 

 weight to which the fruit has sometimes 



Raspberry. 



been brought, it may be interesting to add, 

 that a seedling plant of reputation, has been 

 known to produce, when sold in lots, up- 

 wards of £32. This was a rare case, in- 

 deed ; but it is said to be not at all unusual 

 for 20 guineas to be brought in, by the dis- 

 tribution of a single bush, in rooted parcels. 



Nothing now yields a better profit than 

 fruit. Why then, should not farmers devote 

 a little more attention to the culture of fruit 

 trees] While they afford ample remunera- 

 tion in the sale of the fruit, for the labour 

 bestowed on them, they also add greatly to 

 the appearance and comfort of a dwelling. 



Many persons who have but small gar- 

 dens, might plant a quantity of gooseberry 

 bushes ; and if in this case, there was not 

 much gain, there would undoubtedly, be an 

 improvement in the fruit, as well as an im- 

 provement in the health and morals of the 

 people ; for " whatever makes men acquaint- 

 ed with the peculiarities of vegetable econo- 

 my, in however small a degree, has a benefi- 

 cial effect upon the heart and understanding." 



W. P. H. 



Manayunk, Feb. 22nd, 1843. 



P. S. Can any of your correspondents 

 furnish the readers of the Cabinet, with the 

 most approved anatomical forms of cattle, 

 particularly the milch cow; this was sug- 

 gested on reading the article headed, " Na- 

 tive Stock," in the last number of the Cabi- 

 net. 



Grafting the Lilac on the Ash. — Mr. 



Scott, of South Carolina, communicates the 

 following to a Southern paper: 



This season I grafted the different species 

 of lilac on the common ash, in accordance 

 with some information I received from a 

 friend, (Mr. Wolf, jr.,) while I lived in 

 Paris. I do not recollect to have seen any 

 account of any one having tried the same 

 in this country. We have grafted about 

 three dozen ashes, varying from four feet to 

 ten in height, with the common and Persian 

 lilac ; and I am happy to say that the result 

 has exceeded my most sanguine expecta- 

 tions; for we have grown about 25 healthy 

 plants, with branches from one to eighteen! 

 inches long, which I hope in an another 

 year, will be covered with bloom. They j 

 were grafted in April, after the lilacs had 

 made considerable shoots. I would, there- 

 fore advise, that the scions be taken off in 

 January or February, in order to retard their 

 vegetating too soon for the stocks. Would 

 not the pendulous ash form a beautiful ob- 

 ject, by having its branches grafted with 

 Persian lilac? — United States Farmer. 



