NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 55 



Plant in rows fifteen feet apart and twelve feet tree from 

 tree. The North Island is generally better suited for the fig 

 as a standard tree than Canterbury or Otago. The best 

 varieties are Black Bourjassotte, Brown Turkey and varieties, 

 Brunswick, and Castle Kennedy. 



The Gooseberry may be propagated as directed for 

 the currant. Plant in rows six feet apart and four feet in 

 the rows. Pruning may commence as soon as the leaves- 

 begin to fall, and on till July leave only such branches in 

 the tree as contain good firm buds. The shoots which are 

 left should be well ripened. Having selected such well- 

 ripened wood to be left on the tree, all spindly and weak 

 shoots should be removed. The wood to be removed 

 should not be cut off close to the main branches, but suffi- 

 cient should be left on to form " spurs," say three-quarters 

 of an inch long. All coarse thick shoots should be cut 

 clean away to the stem. Suckers must also be removed. 

 To sum the matter up concisely, pruning a gooseberry bush 

 properly consists in cutting away, as directed, at least two- 

 thirds of the annual shoots, and leaving the remainder 

 shortened to two-thirds of their length, and all pointing 

 away from the centre of the tree, which should be open like 

 a shallow basin. The hoop system, as described in the 

 culture of currants, answers admirably for gooseberries. A 

 top-dressing of manure in the Autumn will ensure a good 

 crop the following season, unless the soil is naturally rich, in 

 which case the manure had better be dispensed with. 

 Gooseberries will not thrive in soils with a cold subsoil. The 

 following will be found useful varieties Early Sulphur 

 (yellow), Golden Purse, Ironmonger (red), Lancashire Hero, 

 Warrington, and Champagne (red and yellow.) 



Medlars are grown from seeds, which should be sown 

 as soon as the fruit is ripe. They take two years to come 

 up. These merely require thinning out occasionally to 

 prevent the centres of the trees from becoming too dense, 

 thereby excluding the necessary sun and air. Varieties 

 Dutch and Nottingham Medlar. As soon as the trees 

 begin to fruit, the ground surrounding them should be sown 

 with grass, as the fruit should be allowed to fall and remain 

 on the grass for a week or so till quite soft, or they may be 

 gathered and stored in a dark and airy place on shelves. 



