4 66 



GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



months ; it will then be kept free from weeds and the soil will not lose 

 so much of its moisture as if the ground were allowed to become hard. 

 When the fruits are swelling, they are greatly assisted by well watering 

 the ground, and especially so if a covering of manure is first put down. 



Winter Treatment, At the annual early winter pruning the lead- 

 ing branches should be left about eight or nine inches long, until the 

 bush has reached the desired height and size. Then cut them back 

 every year to two buds. When a branch becomes old, and bears little 

 fruit, cut it away, so that a younger one may grow up to take its place ; 

 a far better crop of fruit will thus be obtained. In fact, the cultivator 

 should endeavour to introduce as much young wood as possible, never 

 hesitating to remove an old or weakly branch. In the south of England, 

 more branches are usually allowed to form in the centre of the bush 

 than is the case farther north, for if they were kept too thin the fruits 

 would suffer from the effects of the sun, naturally more powerful in the 

 former than in the latter districts. 



Espaliers. Espalier-trained Gooseberries are excellent, and usually 

 bear well. As is the case with all fruit trees thus trained, they occupy 



Single. Double. 



FIG. 60. Cordon Gooseberries. 



little space, and are therefore useful in small gardens. A trellis-work 

 to train them against can easily be constructed ; a few upright wooden 

 or .ron posts, placed at intervals in the ground, and wires, 12 inches 

 apart, fixed between them, will suffice. Cordon Gooseberries may either 

 be trained with single, double, or treble stems; each of the latter 



