ON FRUIT CULTURE. 1003 



variety, well-known for its merits as a cropper, and for its rich 

 flavour. White, Black, and Yellow or Green Ischia are all small 

 but delicious kinds, that bear profusely. Nebian is one of the 

 best late sorts, and of fine flavour. For exhibition, Negro Largo 

 is unsurpassed ; it is followed by Brunswick and Brown Turkey. 

 All of these are large and handsome if not too heavily cropped. 

 Red Spider and a small Scale like the Mussel Scale are the two 

 greatest animal pests of the Fig. Methods for treating these 

 pests will be found in the Chapter " On Pests Generally." 



Gooseberries. 



In the Open. — The value of the Gooseberry is so well known 

 that it needs no introduction even to the greatest novice. When 

 Apples are over, and Rhubarb has begun to be monotonous, green 

 Gooseberries enable the gardener to make a welcome change 

 for tarts, &c. ; and for the market-grower they are equally 

 valuable. Another advantage is that half the crop may be 

 gathered for use while green, and the remainder will still prove 

 a good crop, and the fruit be all the finer on account of the 

 previous gatherings. Many market - growers adopt the plan of 

 picking all the largest berries immediately they are big enough 

 for sale ; a little later, the berries on the lower branches, or 

 where at all thick, are picked; and the last, or final, gathering is 

 made when the fruit is ripe. The last picking is usually remark- 

 able for the fine berries, and these are in good demand. Some 

 persons might be tempted to state that the large berries are 

 inferior in flavour to smaller berries of the same variety, but 

 there is really no comparison, as the large berries are far superior 

 to the small ones in quality. 



Probably no fruit under cultivation responds so freely to good 

 treatment as the Gooseberry, and, because of its accommodating 

 nature, less attention is paid, to it than its great merits deserve. 

 On all soils where the drainage is good, the position open, and 

 the soil fairly deep, really magnificent crops of fruit may be 

 readily produced; as the Gooseberry is not at all particular as 

 to soil. Before planting, the ground should not only be. deeply 

 dug, but all weeds that may prove a nuisance later on ought to 

 be eradicated, thus saving labour and annoyance as the bushes 

 become larger. Deep-planting is injurious; the nearer the roots 

 are (in reason) to the surface, the better will be the progress of 

 the tree or bush. 



When to plant is a question that must be decided by local 

 influences ; no doubt exists as to November being the best 

 time. Gardeners, however, are often obliged to plant when 

 circumstances will permit ; but under no conditions ought 

 planting to be done when the land is wet and the soil sticky. 

 It will be far preferable to lay the plants in by the roots in a 

 shallow trench, and plant out when the soil is in a good working 



