732 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. Part III. 



Norfolk this telm is abbreviated to feabes, or, as they pronounce it, thapes. Carberry is 

 another British name for this fruit. The gooseberry-bush is a low, branching, prickly 

 shrub, with trilobate sub-pubescent leaves, one flowered nodding peduncles, and pen- 

 dulous berries, hairy or smooth. It is a native of several parts of Europe, and abounds 

 in the Vallais in copsewoods, where it produces a small, green, hairy, high-flavored fruit. 

 In England it is naturalised in various places on old walls, ruins, and in the woods and 

 hedges about Darlington. It is cultivated in greater perfection in Lancashire than in 

 any other part of Britain ; and next to Lancashire, the climate and treatment of the 

 Lothians seem to suit this fruit. In Spain and Italy the fruit is scarcely known. In 

 France it is neglected and little esteemed. In some parts of Germany and Holland the 

 moderate temperature and humidity of climate seems to suit the fruit ; but in no country 

 is its size and beauty to be compared with that produced in Lancashire, or from the 

 Lancashire varieties cultivated with care in the more temperate and humid districts of 

 Britain. Neill observes, that when foreigners witness our Lancashire gooseberries, they 

 are ready to consider them as forming quite a different kind of fruit. Happily this 

 wholesome and useful fruit is to be found in almost every cottage garden in Britain ; 

 and it ought to be considered a part of every gardener's duty to encourage the introduc- 

 tion of its most useful varieties in these humble enclosures. In Lancashire, and some 

 parts of the adjoining counties, almost every cottager who has a garden, cultivates the 

 gooseberry, with a view to prizes given at what are called gooseberry-prize meetings ; of 

 these there is annually published an account, with the names and weight of the success- 

 ful sorts, in what is called the Manchester Gooseberry-Book. The prizes vary from 10s. 

 to 5 or \0. The second, third, to the sixth and tenth degrees of merit, receiving 

 often proportionate prizes. There are meetings held in spring to " make up," as the 

 term is, the sorts, the persons, and the conditions of exhibition ; and in August to weigh 

 and taste the fruit, and determine the prizes. In the gooseberry-book for 1819 is an 

 account of 1 36 meetings ; the largest berry produced was the top-saivyer seedling, a 

 red fruit, weighing 26 dwts. 17 grs. Forty-six red, thirty-three yellow, forty -seven 

 green, and forty-one white sorts were exhibited, and fourteen new-named seedlings, 

 which had been distinguished at former meetings, stated as " going out," or about to 

 be sold to propagators. 



4635. Use. The fruit was formerly in little esteem ; but it has received so much 

 improvement, that it is now considered very valuable for tarts, pies, sauces, and creams, 

 before being ripe, and when at maturity it forms a rich dessert fruit for three months ; and 

 is preserved in sugar for the same purpose, and in water for the kitchen. Unripe goose- 

 berries can be preserved in bottles of water against winter ; the bottles are filled with 

 berries close corked and well sealed ; they are then placed in a cool cellar till wanted. 

 By plunging the bottles, after being corked, into boiling water for a few minutes, 

 (heating them gradually to prevent cracking,) the berries are said to keep better. (Neill.) 



4636. Varieties. The gooseberry is mentioned by Turner in 1573. Parkinson enumerates eight va- 

 rieties: the small, great, and long common, three red, one blue, and one green. Ray mentions only the 

 pearl-gooseberry ; but Rea has the blue, several sorts of yellow, the white Holland, and the green. 

 Miller only says, there are several varieties obtained from seed, most of them named from the persons 

 who raised them ; but as there are frequently new ones obtained, it is needless to enumerate them. The 

 present lists of London nurserymen contain from 80 to 100 names ; but those of some of the Lancashire 

 growers above 300. Forsyth, in 1800, mentions ten sorts as common ; and adds a list of forty-three new 

 sorts grown in Manchester. The following may be considered established varieties, and such as merit 

 cultivation : 



4637. Selection of sorts. " It must be admitted," Neill observes, " that although the large gooseberries 

 make a fine appearance on the table, they are often deficient in flavor when compared with some of 

 smaller size. Many of them have very thick strong skins, and are not eatable unless thoroughly ri- 

 pened. Some of the large sort, however, are of very good quality, such as the red cnampagne and the 

 green walnut. Among these also Wilmot's early red deserves further notice. It was raised by Wilmot, 

 at Isleworth, in 1804, and has been cultivated by him very extensively on account of its valuable proper- 

 ties ; being early ripe, of excellent flavor, and extremely productive. It usually ripens from the middle 

 to the end of June. For culinary use in the month of May it is larger and better than most others, the 

 skin not being tough, but the whole berry melting to a fine consistence." Forsyth very judiciously re- 

 commends cultivating the early and late sorts, in order to prolong the season of this fruit. In Lancashire, 

 the Warrington or Manchester red, which is an improved variety of the old ironmonger, is esteemed 

 the best dessert fruit ; and the shoots growing upright, the shrub occupies less horizontal space than most 

 varieties. The walnut red they consider the best sort for preserving. The best mode to obtain a com- 

 plete collection is to send to a Lancashire nurseryman, stating whether the object desired be an assort- 

 ment of large showy sorts, a numerous variety, or a selection of the most useful sorts : but all the sorU 

 worth having as dessert or kitchen fruit, are in the London and Edinburgh nurseries. 



4638. Propagation. The gooseberry may be propagated by all the modes applicable 

 to trees or shubs ; even by pieces of the roots; but the mode by cuttings is usually 

 adopted for continuing varieties, and that by seeds for procuring them. 



