FRUIT. 163 



higliest perfection in certain districts of the country, where 

 summer heat seldom exceeds 75°. With good cultivation 

 they grow to a large size, are very luscious, and much appre- 

 ciated as dessert. A dozen of the largest and best flavoured 

 varieties for exhibition are : (Ked) Industry, Keen's Seed- 

 ling, Rifleman, and Warrington ; (White or Green) Bright 

 Venus, Hedgehog, Snowdrop, and Whitesmith ; (Yellow) Early 

 Sulphur, Leader, Leveller, and Mount Pleasant. The Goose- 

 berry thrives best in a free loamy soil on a clay subsoil in an 

 open situation, and bears the best fruit on young well-ripened 

 wood of the previous year. If they run to gross wood, the 

 bushes should be lifted and transplanted, which brings them 

 into fine bearing condition. The shoots should be thinned 

 out in summer, and the only winter pruning will be the 

 partial shortening of the fruit-bearing shoots. After the 

 fruit is set, the ground should be mulched, and the bushes 

 liberally fed with liquid manure while the crop is swelling. 

 When the fruit begins to ripen, no water should be given, 

 and some varieties require protection from heavy rain, to 

 prevent bursting. The crop should be thinned if necessary, 

 and the flavour is much improved by a full exposure to the 

 sun while ripening. They make a fine dish when set up in 

 conical form, with the stalks ovit of sight. The points of 

 merit are : (1.) Flavour; (2.) size; (3.) colour, and thinness 

 of skin. 



THE GEAPE. 



The successful cultivation of the Grape Vine is considered 

 by many to be the masterpiece of horticultural skill; and 

 although possessed of a strong constitution, and capable of 

 adapting itself to many conditions of soil and circumstances, 

 yet thei'e is no plant which so soon shows the results of un- 

 skilful management, or so well repays the grower for liberal 

 treatment and any special care bestowed on it, by the well- 

 developed and highly-finished clusters of luscious fruit. There 

 are several well-marked stages of development in the vine 

 and its produce, from the time of starting to gi-ow till the 

 fruit is gathered, each requiring its special line of treatment 



