164 



"NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



MOUNTAIN SEEDLINQ GOOSEBERKY 



The statement made by J. B. Moore, Esq., 

 in his essay on the culture of small fruits, re- 

 cently published in the Farmkr, that the fruit 

 growers of the town of Concord, situated 

 twenty miles from Boston, received the past 

 year, after deducting commissions, about 

 eight thousand dollars, will be likely to ar- 

 rest the attention of farmers and others in 

 the vicinity of good markets. Mr. Manning 

 of Reading, Mass., states that seven dollars 

 and fifcy cents per bushels were eagerly paid, 

 for bottling, by a Boston Fruit Preserving 

 Company, for a lot of fifty bushels of the 

 larger varieties of currants, and thirty-five 

 cents per quart were readily obtained for the 

 Cherry and La Versaillaise varieties, at retail. 

 For the purpose of suggesting the more exten- 

 sive cultivation of small fruits by those within 

 the reach of good markets, we present this 

 week a cut cf a gooseberry, which was ori- 

 ginated several years ago in New Lebanon, 

 N. Y. 



The Gooseberry likes a good, deep, moist 

 soil, says Mr. Fuller in his Small Fruit Cul- 

 turist, but one that is not really wet. A rich 

 soil is also essential, because it is only by 

 keeping up a vigorous growth that large fruit 

 and abundant crops can be secured. An open, 

 airy situation is better than one that is con- 

 fined, and in many sections of the country the 

 north side of a hill would be far preferable to 



a southern exposure. The extreme heat of 

 summer has been the greatest impediment to 

 the successful cultivation of the English 

 Gooseberries, and to counteract (his, the cool- 

 est available situation should be selected. 

 Also, in enriching the ground, use no fer- 

 menting manure ; apply none but that which is 

 old and well rotted. Cow manure is far bet- 

 ter than horse manure, particularly on light, 

 warm soils. Mulching the plants in summer 

 is very beneficial, and if tan bark or spent 

 hops from a brewery can be obtained, they 

 should be used in preference to hay or straw. 

 Good culture is required to produce good 

 crops, the same as with other fruits. 



Mildew is the great trouble in growing the 

 gooseberry. Old plants are more subject to 

 this disease than new ones. The following 

 remedies are recommended. Scatter flour of 

 sulphur over the bushes soon after the berriea 

 have set, and repeat the application occasion- 

 ally until the fruit is ripe. Water the plants 

 with strong soap-suds, or dissolve one pound 

 of potash in a barrel of water, and then sprin- 

 kle the plants once a week with it. Soak 

 fresh mown or dry hay in brine for twelve 

 hours ; then cover the entire surface of the 

 soil about the plants with this, as a mulch. If 

 hops, tan bark, or other mulch has previously 

 been applied, (hen sprinkle it with salt; a sin- 

 gle handful to each plant will be sufficient. 



