264 PRUNING. 



and the others are cut out entirely. The reserved branches 

 are then cut back to two or three buds ; from these one 

 shoot is taken on each branch, and the others are pinched 

 to favor this. By this method we shall have three stout 

 shoots in the fall. If the plant had been w^ell rooted, in- 

 stead of being newly transj)lanted, we might have taken 

 two shoots instead of one from each shortened branch. 

 These three branches are cut back at the next pruning to 

 three or four buds, and from each two new shoots are 

 taken, giving at the end of that season six stout young 

 shoots, situated at equal distances. At the next or third 

 pruning these branches are cut back about one-half, in 

 order to produce lateral branches and fruit spurs. At the 

 fourth pruning, the leading shoot is shortened one-third 

 to one-half Any lateral branches not required to fill up 

 spaces, or such as are improperly placed, are cut back to 

 three or four buds, so as to convert them into fruit 

 branches. 



In this way the pnming is conducted from year to year. 

 When the plants become feeble from overbearing, the 

 fruit branches may be headed down and replaced by new 

 vigorous shoots. The better way, however, to provide 

 for this difficulty, is to raise young plants from layers or 

 cuttings, to be at once substituted for such as fall a victim 

 to the mildew. A northern aspect, a cool, damp, substan- 

 tial soil, and abundance of manure, are all necessary, in 

 connection with the pruning described, to j)i*oduce fine 

 gooseberries. 



The famous growers of Lancashire, England, outdo all 

 the world besides in the production of large gooseberries. 

 The Encyclopsedia of Gardening says — " To effect this 

 increased size, every stimulant is applied that their inge- 

 nuity can suggest ; they not only annually manm-e the soil 

 richly, but also smTound the plants w^ith trenches of ma- 

 nure for the extremities of the roots to strike into, and 



