CHAPTER XIII 



GOOSEBERRIES 



The gooseberry is one of the lesser lights in the 

 pomological firmament of the United States. It is ap- 

 parently prized and appreciated less than almost any 

 other fruit. It is extremely sour, and the custom of 

 using it only in the green state prevents its better 

 qualities from becoming known. Many people do not 

 care for it, and the demand is much less than for the 

 berry fruits, while the supply is usually more than cor- 

 respondingly less. In spite of this apparent indiffer- 

 ence, it has many good qualities to commend it. In 

 the green state, as generally sold, it bears shipment 

 exceedingly well, reaching the consumer, when prop- 

 erly handled, with no waste, and in as good condition 

 as when it left the plants. 



Some idea of the extent to which the gooseberry 

 is cultivated may be gained from the census report 

 of 1890, which shows 1,009 acres of plants to have 

 been growing in the nurseries of the United States. 

 This is only half the acreage devoted to currants, 

 while the average number of plants produced from 

 an acre is given as 14,000, as against about 25,000 

 currant plants per acre. This indicates that the plant- 

 ing of currant bushes is over three and one-half 

 times as great as the planting of gooseberry bushes. 



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