eight] strawberries AND THEIR KIN 



ling of good size, very hardy, and of fine quality. 

 Among my own seedlings I have not only the early 

 one, mentioned above, but another that ripens its 

 fruit in September. There is something very at- 

 tractive about the effort to grow improved varieties 

 of these small fruits. They come into bearing 

 when young, and if not worth the keeping we have 

 wasted little time and space in the effort. I wish 

 more people knew what a grand fruit the goose- 

 berry is at its best. Gooseberry jelly is one of the 

 most delicious with which the housekeeper stores 

 her cupboard. 



The propagation of gooseberries and currants is 

 identical. Take cuttings in the fall, as soon as the 

 wood is ripened, seven to ten inches long. Propa- 

 gators generally put these in bundles, in a cool cel- 

 lar, over winter. I prefer planting them at once 

 — setting them obliquely, in clean ground, in a fur- 

 row where they can be two-thirds under ground. 

 Draw the dirt on, and ram it down very tightly. 

 When done the row should stand a little above the 

 level of the soil, to avoid the settling of water dur- 

 ing the winter. The cuttings should be about one 

 inch apart in the row. It is easy to multiply either 

 gooseberries or currants by layers, or an old bush 



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