THE GOOSEBERRY. 



95 



weighed, in 1852, 3;dwt. 7gr. ; in 1864, 36dwt. 4gr. ; 

 and in 1865, 33d wt. i2gr. Many of the Lancashire sorts 

 at the present day yield berries ranging from 27 to 

 3idwts. 



Apart from these monster berries, the ordinary kinds 

 grown to-day yield delicious fruits for use in a green 

 state for tarts, and in a ripe condition for jams, dessert, 

 etc. The Gooseberry, indeed, is a most refreshing and 

 useful fruit, and deserves a place in every garden. 



Propagation- The Gooseberry may be increased by 

 seeds, cuttings, layers, suckers, and division, but the 

 only method that possesses any real practical value is by 

 means of cuttings. Seedlings do not come true to type, 



I 



F\g. 34. GOOSEBERRY CUTTINGS. 



All growth buds except the upper three removed. 



and it often happens that after cultivating the seedlings 

 for some years till they reach the fruiting stage, all of 

 them prove worthless. Layering is a slow process; 

 suckers rarely make good fruitful bushes; and division 

 of old plants is unsatisfactory. 



The only satisfactory way, as already mentioned, is by 

 cuttings. These are formed from shoots of the current 

 year's growth in October. Select shoots about a foot 

 long, cut the base off straight across close to a joint, and 

 remove all buds from the lower half, leaving three or 

 more at the apex. Open shallow trenches 4in. deep, 

 place the cuttings 6in. apart against one side, fill in the 

 soil, and tread this down firmly. The rows should be 

 a foot apart. By the following autumn the cuttings will 



