Mode of growing Prize Gooseberries. 



421 



161 



165 



Art. XII. On training and managing the Gooseberry, with a 

 .- view to grow Fruit for Prize Exhibitions. By Mr. Mathias 

 Saul, of Lancaster. 



Sir, 

 I have sent you a specimen of the plan of training the 162 

 gooseberry trees, as adopted by those growers who |i 

 wish to have large and heavy fruit for the prize- 

 shows. As all the fruit grow from the underside of 

 the branches, the plan adopted for first putting the 

 tree in a training state is to have a few hooked 

 sticks (t%-.,161.) and forked sticks {Jig. 162.), the 

 former to hold down the branches that are inclined 

 to grow upwards, and the latter to support those 

 which are inclined to grow downwards. The plant 

 herewith sent (Jig. 163.) has been trained by such 

 sticks. It consists of three shoots spreading regu- 

 larly, and nearly horizontally, outwards. Next 

 autumn these three shoots will have produced a number of 

 side shoots, most of which may 

 be shortened to one eye, and 

 the others reduced to one half t, 

 of their, length. No shoots 

 should be left either at the 

 origin or the extremities of 

 the branches, but only at the 

 sides; the fewer the number 

 of shoots, and the younger ^jyF 

 the tree, the larger will be the] ^f%^y& 

 fruit. 



At the next pruning season, viz. November, the tree will con- 

 sist of the three principal shoots, each bearing two young shoots 

 shortened to about 7 in. of their length ; these last, in the suc- 

 ceeding year's pruning, are to be left with two shoots only of 

 new wood ; all other shoots are to be closely cut out; and, in 

 leaving the young shoots for bearing, regard must be had to 

 keep the whole in a regular and handsome form. 



In all following years, the system of pruning and thinning 

 which I particularly recommend, is to keep a moderate 

 and constant supply of strong healthy young shoots, from 

 which alone can be expected large and fine fruit ; and, when- 

 ever the extremities grow beyond the proper bounds, such 

 branches should be cut back, so as to keep the tree in a com- 

 pact form, and furnished sufficiently, though rather thinly, 

 with new bearing wood : for large fruit cannot be expected if 



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