THE GOOSEBERRY. 237 



WHITE PEARL. 



A new variety we have not seen. Hovey says it is announced as haying 

 bunches four inches long, quarter inch in diameter, color of pearl ; raised 

 near Brussels. 



WHITE ANTWERP. 



Fruit, large, sweet; productive. 



.. 



THE GOOSEBERRY. 



Ribes Grossularia Grossulacece of Botanists. 



THE Gooseberry is found wild in most of the northern and middle 

 portions of our country, but with few exceptions its fruit is prickly 

 and unworthy. On some of the islands of our upper Lakes, where 

 the climate is moist and cool, there are varieties that produce abun- 

 dantly of fruit, small in size, but of good flavor, smooth and free of 

 prickles. Our garden varieties generally cultivated, have all been in- 

 troduced from England, reproduction of new kinds from seed having 

 been rarely attempted in this country, owing to the low price at which 

 the best kinds can be purchased in England, and the almost certainty 

 of success of importations made in the Autumn. 



The moist, cool climate of Lancashire, England, joined to the en- 

 thusiasm for culture of this fruit by a class of people employed there 

 as weavers, and possessing only very small yards or gardens, has been 

 the origin of most of our approved varieties. Gooseberry Shows 

 were held in England as early as 1743 ; and it has long been custom- 

 ary to issue annually a GOOSEBERRY BOOK, in which all new vari- 

 eties are noticed and all previous varieties named, with accounts of 

 size, &c. This list has now swollen to over twelve hundred kinds ; 

 yet a selection embracing those truly best and most profitable, and 

 with distinctive marks, would not exceed forty kinds. 



Throughout our Southern and inland States, except in Sections 

 bordering on large bodies of water, it requires great care to succeed 

 well with this fruit. The deep, rich soil of our Western prairies 

 suits the plant in its growth, but the heat and dry atmosphere, in sec- 

 tions distant from bodies of water, induce mildew, to the destruction 

 of perfect fruit. Easily grown from seed, it is worth the attention 

 of some one to make experiments, by raising from seed of our best 

 varieties, sown in the rich soils of the West ; the result of which, it 

 might safely be expected, would be plants vigorous and comparatively 

 free from disease as our natives. 



