PRUNING THE GOOSEBERRY. 



ripe as soon as they turn black ; but 

 that is a mistake, as it takes them two 

 or three days to get ripe and sweet after 

 turning black, and if they are left on the 

 bushes until they are sweet, they are • 

 seedy and are more luscious to the 

 taste. Never allow any grass or weeds 

 to grow, but keep perfectly clean. If 

 you cannot do that do not try to grow 

 them as you will surely fail, for they 

 will not grow in sod. 



When the bushes get their load of 

 green and ripening berries, the weight is 

 too great for the canes to sustain and 



hold them up, and they must be assisted. 

 It is a very easy matter to place a few 

 posts through the centre of each row, 

 bore a hole two inches from the top, 

 split out the piece from the auger hole 

 to the top, then draw a wire through on 

 each side of the bushes, fasten both e/ids 

 to the end posts, raise the w : re and drop 

 it in the slot at the top of the posts. In 

 this way one row of posts carries both 

 wires and the cost is light. 



I think this is all the information 

 necessary to grow and care for the 

 Blackberry.— (Name of writer not given.) 



PRUNING THE GOOSEBERRY. 



THERE are one or two important 

 points about the gooseberry which 

 deserve consideration. It is fairly 

 hardy, but thrives best when shel- 

 tered. Then, though good supplies of 

 moisture are essential to its welfare, the 

 soil in which it is planted must be well 

 drained, if the best results are to be re- 

 lied upon. Further, though it must be 

 kept in check by pruning, to clip it all 

 over, making it form a dense spurred-in 

 hedge is an error that cannot be too 

 strongly condemned, and this brings us 

 to the all-important question of pruning. 

 Whilst some advise one system and 

 and some another, the best and safest 

 plan will be found to be as follows : — 

 Instead of shortening the shoots, except 

 where they are too rampant, or work 

 downwards into or towards the soil,' re- 

 move the weak shoots wherever they 

 are seen, and take care they are not 

 chopped off, but removed as close to the 

 old wood as possible. Generally speak- 



ing, the usual method of ensuring a 

 well-shaped and evenly-developed head 

 will produce good results, but if better 

 fruit is desired then cut out and train 

 the bush in the shape of a cup ; by this 

 plan you reduce the quantity, but the 

 fruits will be much finer from having 

 free supplies of air and sunlight let into 

 the head of the bush. It will be found 

 much better to thin out rather than to 

 clip all round the head. Let the 

 branches grow outwards, and remove 

 all branches which cross; rub against, or 

 entangle such as should be encouraged 

 to grow out freely. In planting, do not 

 set the bushes too closely together. If 

 set in rows, let them be five or six feet 

 apart, and the bushes should be five 

 feet from one to the other in the rows. 

 Nothing is gained by over-crowding, 

 either with bush or hardy fruits, as 

 plenty of air and sunlight are essential 

 to successful cultivation and develop- 

 ment. — Bush Fruit Culture. 



129 



