S30 On providing a Succession of 



wholesome fruit, so that it may be indulged in freely without 

 stint, and without fear of any ill consequences. Being, like 

 your correspondent, Mr. Vallance (Vol. VI. p. 727.)j a great 

 admirer of the gooseberry, I entirely concur with him in the 

 sensible plan which he is anxious to adopt, of cultivating dif- 

 ferent kinds, " that will come in succession from a very early 

 to a very late period," in order that the fruit may be enjoyed 

 for the longest possible period. Indeed, it had repeatedly 

 occurred to me, previously to my seeing his communication, 

 that although the best sorts are (as it seems to me) few in 

 number, and may be reduced to a very short list, still, any 

 variety which ripens its fruit either very early or very late, 

 is, if on that account only, a desirable acquisition, and worthy 

 of cultivation, in as much as it prolongs the time in which the 

 fruit is in season. 



Much confusion and uncertainty seem to prevail about the 

 names of gooseberries ; many different sorts often passing 

 under the same names, and again one and the same sort under 

 different names. I am by no means certain that I know the 

 names of any correctly. There are two kinds which, in my 

 estimation, are preferable to all others for dessert, and with 

 which alone I am satisfied so long as they remain in season. 

 The two are known to me by the names of the champagne (or 

 rumbullion *) and the green gage. Being doubtful, however, 

 of the correctness of these names, and uncertain whether the 

 sorts may not frequently pass by some other, I will endeavour 

 to describe the fruits themselves. The first, the champagne, 

 bears a moderate-sized berry, of an oblong shape, and exceed- 

 ingly high flavour, hairy, dark red, almost black when dead 

 ripe, at which time it is often suffused with a bloom like that 

 of a plum. This, which is a very common sort, is, to my 

 taste, by far the best gooseberry I am acquainted with ; it is 

 also an exceedingly good fruit for culinary purposes, and has 

 the merit, too, of being a very great bearer. The bush will 

 grow to a large size, with sti'ong upright shoots, invariably 

 more or less perpendicular like those of an osier. The fruit 

 of the second sort (the green gage) is rather small, round, 

 hairy, of a dull green colour, exceedingly sweet and luscious, 

 and partakes of the flavour of the plum from which it 

 derives its name. This is by no means so great a bearer as 

 the champagne ; and the berries, though covered with a very 

 firm skin, are unfortunately particularly liable to crack with 

 rain. The bush is low, with shoots having a tendency to 

 arch towards the ground. Neither of the above sorts are 

 remarkable for being early or late, both ripening their fruit 



* Query Rambouillet ? 



