GOOSEBERRY. 177 



rope. We have seen it wild on the Alleghany mountains ; and 

 before we see it perfect in culture, we must re-produce from our 

 native sorts. It is highly esteemed in culinary purposes for 

 tarts and preserves ; and when fully ripe is laxative, and con- 

 sidered a very wholesome dessert fruit. The finest crops we 

 have seen in this country were grown in the vicinity of Mon- 

 treal and the Lakes^and near Pittsburg, between the Alleghany 

 and Monongahela rivers, over which the smoke of that city of 

 iron continually rolls, during June, July, and August, which 

 entirely prevents the mildew, the only enemy to the culture 

 of this fruit in this quarter. There are a thousand varieties 

 of it, which may be detailed in Reds^ Whites^ Yellows and 

 Greens^ all fancifully named, according to the ideas of the 

 growers. They ripen from the middle to the end of July. 



Propagation. — The method is precisely as detailed for Cur- 

 rants, both in culture and pruning. In warm seasons, just 

 after rain, some sorts are frequently attacked with mildew, 

 which baffles our skill to prevent, though we may retard its 

 progress by showering them with sulphur-water. The cure, 

 however, is nearly as bad as the disease. Mildew makes 

 its appearance about the middle of June, in the form of brown- 

 ish-white spots on the fruit. As soon as observed, the berries 

 may at once be pulled for the kitchen or market, for they 

 never get over it, and the longer they hang the worse they be- 

 come. It is not soil that is the cause, for we have had them 

 some seasons all destroyed, while last year the same plants, in 

 the same ground, were as fine as they could be, in size, form, 

 and flavor. It is an atmospheric disease, and only that. The 

 fruit is in size from half an inch to two inches in diameter ; 

 the medium sized are the best flavored. The very largest have 

 been known to weigh an ounce and a half; but they are 

 uniformly of inferior quality. For flavor none excel the fol- 

 lowing : 



