THE GOOSEBERRY 



71 



formed. For garden trees all side shoots can be pinched back to three buds, so 



as to form spurs along the principal branches, and the leading shoots can be cut 



back a little year by year, in order to secure a 



shapely and well-balanced bush, but they may be 



left the full length when the bushes are formed. 



The side shoots on cordon and other trained trees 



should also be shortened to three eyes in order to 



form spurs on the branches. This pruning will 



cause fruit buds to form on the lower parts of the 



shoots, and will eventually result in the main boughs 



being provided with fruit buds along their entire 



length. The leading shoots are left untouched. 

 Market Culture, — Gooseberries when grown 



for market are hard pruned for two years to form 



the bushes, and subsequently the long shoots are 



left their full length. The bushes must be severely 



pruned, if necessary, to prevent shoots crossing each 



other and to leave ample room for the pickers to 



reach the fruit without being inconvenienced by 



the prickly stems. Care should be taken to prune 



them so that the principal branches are well away 



from the ground ; small and ill-formed berries will 



then be very rare, and quality is a most important 



factor when fruit has to be profitably disposed of. 



This severe pruning causes the bushes to make strong, 



stout shoots, and a constant supply of young wood, 



upon which the best berries are produced. Those 



unacquainted with 

 market culture would 

 be alarmed to see the 

 bushes comparatively 

 bare after the pruners 

 had finished their work. 

 The aim of the pruner 

 should be to manage 

 the bushes in such a 

 way that no old, worn- 

 out branches are re- 

 tained. 



Various Methods 

 OF Training. — During recent years excellent 

 standard gooseberry trees have been produced, 



grafted on the stems of Rihes aureum. They form compact heads, which are 



smothered with fruits ; and as these are quite away from the ground, they are 



free from grit, clean, and easy to gather. The stems of standard trees are 



from 2J to 5 feet high, although the latter are rather too tall. Cordon goose- 



Spues 



(r) Forming, but not bearing ; (s 

 producing fruit, and form- 

 ing a continuation spur. 



Branch of Goosebekry Show- 

 ing Mode of Growth and 

 Fruiting 



(«) Fruit produced from wood of 

 preceding year's formation ; {o) 

 spurs (short stubby growths 

 with several leaves and buds) 

 upon which fruit is borne the 

 following season; (/) side shoots 

 that may be retained if required 

 for furnishing branches, or 

 pinched at about the fifth leaf 

 when not wanted for that pur- 

 pose, and in the autumn follow- 

 ing' cut back to a bud or two 

 from base ; (q) extension of 

 branch growth that may be 

 stopped at about i foot if grow- 

 ing too vigorously, and in 

 winter shortened to 6 or 8 

 inches, if strong. 



