284 GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



Downing. A native variety of medium size, greenish- 

 white when ripe, and of excellent quality. 



Houghton's Seedling. Also a native variety. Size 

 'medium, color red, flavor average. 



Of the foreign varieties among Reds may be named as 

 leading sorts, Warrington, Champion, Waterloo ; of 

 Greens, Green Globe, Melville, Green Gage ; of Yellows, 

 Sulphur, Champagne, Golden Drop ; of Whites, Crystal, 

 Whitesmith, Dutch. 



There are a number of English and Scotch mechanics 

 employed at the mills in Paterson, N. J., who make a 

 specialty of growing English Gooseberries in their cottage 

 gardens, and hold yearly exhibitions for prizes for the 

 best specimens. By the following method they have 

 attained nearly as good success as is met with in Eng- 

 land. The soil (which is naturally a good strong loam, 

 and one foot or more in depth) is trenched to a depth of 

 fifteen or eighteen inches, and mixed with the subsoil, 

 which is partly sand and partly clay. Through this soil 

 is incorporated three inches of well-rotted cow dung. 

 The Gooseberry plants, which are all imported from Eng- 

 land, are planted about three and a half feet each way ; 

 and as soon as the hot and dry weather begins (usually 

 about the middle of June), a heavy mulching, three or 

 four inches deep, of well-rotted horse or cow dung is 

 spread over the whole surface. This keeps the roots cool 

 and moist, the necessary conditions for the perfection of 

 this fruit. 



The Fig, on account of not being hardy in the North- 

 ern States, is but little cultivated, unless in tubs, which 

 are placed in cellars or sheds to protect them during the 

 winter months, or occasionally on the back wall of lean- 

 to graperies ; but in all parts of the country where the 



