VARIOUS SPECIES OF FRUITS 



131 



"the old way of doing," not because the Gooseberry is incapable of 

 better things. 



As a family fruit plant the Gooseberry has special claims. It is 

 easy to grow anywhere, except in warm climates (even to the Arctic 

 circle !) since it is wonderfully hardy. Though blossoms and foliage 

 (Fig. 92) often appear before the snow has all gone they are not injured 

 by the cold. With ordinary good care it will yield annually for ten or 

 fifteen years. It is highly productive, a well- 

 grown, well-managed bush, yielding half a peck 

 to a peck (four to eight quarts). So half a dozen 

 bushes should give an ample supply for the 

 ordinary sized family. The fruit may be used 

 while only two-thirds grown, when fully mature 

 or when "dead" ripe, during a period of three 

 to six weeks. In the home garden (Fig. 93) it 

 may be gathered at any of these stages of de- 

 velopment; but in the market never except in 

 the greenest condition. Furthermore, the inten- 

 sive and more or less shaded condition of the 

 home garden is far more favorable to it than is 

 the open berry field. 



Because of this last point the home garden 

 is just the place to try the culture of English 

 Gooseberries, which with few exceptions have 

 been proved unprofitable as commercial ven- 

 tures in America, because under sunny and dry 

 conditions they are much more subject to mildew 

 attacks than are American varieties, especially 

 on light soils. The moister, more shaded and 

 cooler conditions of the home garden and heavy, 

 cool soils make it possible to grow these splendid 

 varieties in America, particularly where the early 

 Summer climate is cool and moist. As grown 

 in England many of these produce fruits as large 

 as hen's eggs, often weighing two ounces each. 

 They are largely eaten like plums out of the 

 hand when fully ripe, though great quantities of ripe ones are also 

 made into jam. Can you name a rival of ripe Gooseberry jam ? 



As the varieties are so much superior to American kinds they 

 should be given at least a trial in our home plantations. Fortunately, 

 Robert R. Whyte, an amateur grower, reported to the American 

 Pomological Society his methods and successes with nearly 50 varieties 

 in his home garden at Ottawa, Canada. His successes will appear all 



Fig. 92. Gooseberry 

 flowers 



