Chap. X. THE GOOSEBERRY. 355 



sometimes reflexed and much dilated at their bases. In the' different 

 varieties the fruit varies in abundance, in the period of maturity, in hang- 

 ing until shrivelled, and greatly in size, " some sorts having their fruit large 

 during a very early period of growth, whilst others are small until nearly 

 ripe." The fruit varies also much in colour, being red, yellow, green, 

 and white— the pulp of one dark-red gooseberry being tinged with yellow ; 

 in flavour ; in being smooth or downy, — few, however, of the}Eed goose- 

 berries, whilst many of the so-called Whites, are downy ; or in being so 

 spinose that one kind is called Henderson's Porcupine. Two kinds acquire 

 when mature a powdery bloom on their fruit. The fruit varies in the 

 thickness and veining of the skin, and, lastly, in shape, being spherical, 

 oblong, oval, or obovate. 123 



I cultivated fifty-four varieties, and, considering how greatly the fruit 

 differs, it was curious how closely similar the flowers were in all these 

 kinds. In only a few I detected a trace of difference in the size or colour 

 of the corolla. The calyx differed in a rather greater degree, for in some 

 kinds it was much redder than in others ; and in one smooth white goose- 

 berry it was unusually red. The calyx also differed in the basal part being 

 smooth or woolly, or covered with glandular hairs. It deserves notice, as 

 being contrary to what might have been expected from the law of correla- 

 tion, that a smooth red gooseberry had a remarkably hairy calyx. The 

 flowers of the Sportsman are furnished with very large coloured bracteas ; 

 and this is the most singular deviation of structure which I have ob- 

 served. These same flowers also varied much in the number of the petals, 

 and occasionally in the number of the stamens and pistils ; so that they 

 were semi-monstrous in structure, yet they produced plenty of fruit. 

 Mr. Thompson remarks that in the Pastime gooseberry " extra bracts are 

 " often attached to the sides of the fruit." 124 



The most interesting point in the history of the gooseberry is the steady 

 increase in the size of the fruit. Manchester is the metropolis of the 

 fanciers, and prizes from five shillings to five or ten pounds are yearly 

 given for the heaviest fruit. The ' Gooseberry Grower's Eegister' is pub- 

 lished annually ; the earliest known copy is dated 1786, but it is certain that 

 meetings for the adjudication of prizes were held some years previously. 125 

 The ' Eegister ' for 1845 gives an account of 171 Gooseberry Shows, held 

 in different places during that year ; and this fact shows on how large a 

 scale the culture has been carried on. The fruit of the wild gooseberry 

 is said 126 to weigh about a quarter of an ounce or 5 dwts., that is, 120 

 grains; about the year 1786 gooseberries were exhibited weighing 10 dwts 

 so that the weight was then doubled ; in 1817 26 dwts. 17 grs. was attained • 

 there Avas no advance till 1825, when 31 dwts. 16 grs. was reached; in 



123 The fullest account of the goose- * Mr. Clarkson, of Manchester, on 

 berry is given by Mr. Thompson in the Culture of the Gooseberry, in ion- 

 Transact Hor. Soc, vo . i., 2nd series, don's < Gardener's Magazine/ vol. iv. 

 1835, p. 218, from which most of the 1828, p 482 

 foregoing facts are given. i»' d^' < F ., f , . , 



™ < Catalogue of Fruits of Hort. Soc. 213 ° America, p. 

 Garden,' 3rd edit. 1S42. 



2 A 2 



