THE HOME FRUIT GARDEN 



the Gooseberry grower is that the birds especially bull- 

 finches do a good deal of damage, often ruining the 

 bushes by pecking out the buds. Remedies consist in 

 dusting the shoots with lime and soot when they are moist 

 and in deferring pruning until spring. If pruning is 

 completed in winter there will, of course, be fewer buds 

 left, and these are consequently all the more precious. 

 In pruning a Gooseberry bush growths that touch or are 

 quite near the ground should be cut off, and the bush 

 should be kept as symmetrical and open centred as 

 possible. Thus fruit gathering as well as fruit bearing is 

 aided considerably. Fruits are produced both by spurs 

 (developed by summer and winter pruning) and on 

 growths of the previous year. It is as well to train in as 

 many of the latter as there are room for, taking care 

 to have each shoot at least 6 inches from its neighbour. 

 In winter they may be shortened by one-third their 

 length. If a Gooseberry bush is allowed to get choked 

 up by a mass of growths it becomes quite hopeless ; there 

 will be fruit only on the outside branches. Keep the 

 branches thinly disposed, train in as many of the previous 

 summer's shoots as can be accommodated, and summer 

 and winter prune all other growths not needed for exten- 

 sion of the bush. 



The Cherry, One of the chief drawbacks to Cherry 

 growing is that the birds are so insatiably fond of them, 

 and quite a considerable outlay for netting is necessary 

 if instead of the birds the grower is to have the pleasure 



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