178 BIGGLE GARDEN BOOK 



man. Gooseberries are usually marketed while in a 

 green, hard condition. 



Pruning and pests : These fruits are usually 

 grown and trained in bush form, and shoots from 

 the base are utilized to renew the top gradually. 

 Pruning consists of cutting out weak or superfluous 

 new shoots, and old ones which have outlived their 

 usefulness or which have become diseased or infested 

 with borers. But never cut out too many old stalks 

 at once, for the bulk of the fruit is produced on such 

 wood. Stalks may be left until about three years 

 old which is often the limit of their usefulness. 

 All shoots, old or new, may be cut back, as desired, 

 to make the bushes more compact and symmetrical, 

 and the fruit larger. In other words, thin out, cut 

 back, and gradually replace the older stalks with 

 younger ones. Burn all clippings promptly, for thus 

 the borer is kept down. The principal other enemy 

 is the currant worm which attacks the leaves in early 

 spring. Remedy : Spray the bushes with the helle- 

 bore mixture given in Chapter V, but do it promptly 

 when the first worm is seen ; watch the bushes 

 closely shortly after the leaves unfold in the spring. 

 Fungous blight troubles can be controlled with Bor- 

 deaux. Sulphur for mildew is often used. 



Varieties : Perfection, Victoria, Cherry, Fay's 

 Prolific, are popular kinds of currants. Red Dutch 

 is the small, old-fashioned kind ; it is still grown. 

 White Dutch and White Grape are white varieties. 

 Black Naples is esteemed for jellies. Downing, 

 Houghton, Columbus, etc., are well-known native 

 gooseberries. Industry is a fine, large European 

 variety, very sweet; but more subject to mildew 

 than the American kinds. 



GRAPES. Buy one-year-old vines ; or propagate 



