482 Improvement and Peculiarities of the Gooseherri/. 



began to cultivate the gooseberry in this neighbourhood, being 

 stimulated thereto either by a spirit of emulation, or the value 

 of the prizes. 



The perfection of gooseberry fruit owes nothing to men of 

 scientific knowledge, being cultivated scarcely by any but the 

 lowest and most illiterate part of society, at least in this neigh- 

 bourhood ; but, by continued experience, and perseverance in 

 growing and raising new sorts, they have brought the fruit 

 from 10 to upwards of SOdvvts, and that, too, under the 

 greatest disadvantages, not having the privilege of soil, ma- 

 nure, situation, &c., like the gardeners of their more wealthy 

 neighbours, but oftentimes limited to a few yards of land, 

 either shaded by trees, confined by buildings, or exposed to 

 the most unfavourable winds, and so barren that they have 

 frequently to carry on their shoulders a considerable way the 

 soil in which the plants are to be set; yet so resolute are they 

 in overcoming every obstacle, and so successfully ingenious 

 in assisting nature in her efforts, that they are enabled to pro- 

 duce fruit surprisingly large. 



I have made enquiry of the oldest growers I could meet 

 with, some of whom are upwards of eighty years of age, but 

 I have not been able to ascertain the time when, nor the place 

 where, the improvement of gooseberry fruit first commenced. 

 I have met with lists of several meetings which took place in 

 1786, in which I find the fruit divided into four classes, red, 

 yellow, green, and white; each class containing (bur sorts, 

 making sixteen sorts at one meeting, no one sort being allowed 

 to win more than one prize at the same show. The classifi- 

 cation of the fruit, the number of meetings held at different 

 places, and the variety of sorts cultivated at the above time, 

 sufficiently prove that meetings must have been held for 

 exhibiting the fruit several years before. 



The attention of the growers was early directed to the 

 raising of new sorts, being encouraged thereto by the liberal 

 price given for each sort that was deemed to be a large one, 

 all other properties being of a secondary nature; so that we 

 are now furnished with an extensive vai'iety, possessing ex- 

 cellent qualities, both for size, quantity, beauty, and flavour. 

 I would here observe, for the information of those who have 

 no experience in gooseberry-growing, nor any knowledge of 

 the peculiarities of the different sorts, that there is considerable 

 latitude in the properties of this excellent fruit, some sorts 

 being remarkable for their large size, such are the Roaring 

 Lion and Eagle ; others, again, are remarkable for their beaut}^, 

 such are the Lancashire Lad, Top Sawyer, Rockwood, Sove- 

 reign, Bonny Lass, and others; some, again, are remarkable 



