SMALL FRUITS 97 



Pruning. The natural habit of the plant is to form a bush. Pruning 

 should therefore be directed to checking the growth of rampant shoots at 

 the proper time and to removing old branches which have served their 

 purpose as bearing wood. 



Enemies and Diseases. The gooseberry suffers as severely from the 

 currant worm as the currant itself and is only a slightly less desirable host 

 plant. Paris green or hellebore should be applied the same as for currants. 



The great drawback to the successful cultivation of the European 

 gooseberry in eastern United States is, as has been pointed out, its suscep- 

 tibility to mildew. This disease is so severe and so difficult to combat that 

 resistant sorts are generally grown, although the mildew can be held in 

 check by thorough applications of Bordeaux mixture or ammoniacal 

 carbonate of copper. 



Harvesting. Gooseberries, because of their habit of growth, can be 

 successfully harvested only by hand-picking. Those intended for pie 

 making, which is one of the chief uses of the fruit, are picked before they 

 have colored and ripened. They are, in other words, picked green, as it 

 is the green fruit that is most prized for pie purposes. The usual receptacle 

 for gooseberries is the one-quart splint box. 



The ripe fruit is often seen in the American market. The preferences 

 of the market should be determined in advance and the fruit harvested in 

 the condition demanded, whether it be green: or ripe. 



THE CRANBERRY 



The cranberry is- one of the native fruits which has contributed an 

 important product as well as a large share to the aggregate return from 

 small fruits. Its restricted region of cultivation and the peculiar environ- 

 ment required by it place it outside the general list of garden small fruits, 

 and in an exclusive class. The fact that it thrives only in swampy areas in 

 high latitudes and elevations exclude it from this discussion. The general 

 requirements of the crop are discussed in Farmers' Bulletin 176, of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture. 



REFERENCES 



"The Strawberry in North America." Fletcher. 

 "Bush Fruits." Card. 

 "The Grape Culturist." Fuller. 



Wisconsin Expt. Station Bulletin 248. "Strawberry Culture in Wisconsin." 

 Canadian Dept. of Agriculture Bulletins: 



210. "Strawberry and Red Raspberry." 



222. "Currants and Gooseberries." 

 Farmers' Bulletins, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture: 



643. " Blackberry Culture." 



664, "Strawberry Growing in the South." 



