Oct.] THE FRUIT GARDEN. 527 



it must be particularly observed, always to keep the ground under 

 and immediately contiguous to each bush, free from weeds or crops 

 of any kind; for if damps and moisture are confined about the 

 bushes in this way the fruit will mildew and become useless. 



It will be in vain to expect fine fruit unless you have good kinds, 

 and give them the best ground possible, a plentiful supply of 

 manure annually, frequent culture and regular pruning. 



The best time to plant them out finally is, when they have had 

 one or two years' growth from cuttings; or indeed the cuttings 

 may, with great propriety, be planted where they are to remain for 

 fruiting. Old gooseberry bushes seldom bear large fruit after being 

 transplanted, unless they are carefully removed with large balls of 

 earth around their roots. 



Previous to planting, each young tree should be pruned up to 

 one clean stem of eight to ten or twelve inches before you form the 

 head; for when they are suffered to branch away immediately from 

 the bottom, they, by spreading out so near the ground, will impede 

 the growth of any crops that grow near them, and in the occasional 

 and very necessary business of manuring, digging, hoeing, weeding, 

 &c. will be very troublesome to work between. 



For further observations on the planting of gooseberries see 

 pages 137 and 293. 



Pruning and Propagating Gooseberries. 



The latter part of this month, and the entire of the next, will be 

 a very suitable season for the pruning of gooseberries. It is a 

 practice too common in pruning these trees to let them branch out 

 with long naked stems, suffering them to remain in that state for 

 many years. When that is already the case they should be cut 

 down, or considerably shortened, to promote a free growth of 

 healthy young shoots, which will bear fruit abundantly the second 

 year. But for general instructions on this head see page 32. 



You may now plant cuttings of the various kinds of gooseberries 

 which you wish to propagate; for the necessary instructions see 

 page 293. 



Note. — New varieties of gooseberries may be obtained by sowing 

 seeds of the best kinds you are able to procure, either in this or 

 any of the autumn months, in beds in the open ground, or in boxes 

 of good earth. From these sowings the plants will rise freely in 

 spring, and by the autumn or spring following may be planted in 

 nursery rows to remain another season, after which they are to be 

 finally planted out for fruiting; or they may remain where planted 

 from the seed-bed till they show specimens of fruit; then those that 

 are good are to be taken due care of; the others, which, by the bye, 

 will be the far greater number, may be thrown away. 



If the seed is kept out of the mound till Spring scarcely any of 

 it will vegetate till that time twelve months; therefore it is neces- 

 sary either to sow it in autumn, or to preserve it in damp earth or 

 sand till February or March. If sown in autumn cover it near 

 half an inch deep with loose, rich earth; but if in spring a quarter 

 of an inch will be sufficient. 



