224 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



fruit; and wherever the extremities grow be- 

 yond the proper bounds, such branches should 

 be cut back so as to keep the tree in a compact 

 form, and furnished sufficiently, though rather 

 thinly, with new bearing wood; large fruit can- 

 not be expected if the tree is crowded with 

 old and young wood. 



It is not only to the branches and top of the 

 tree that the care of those who wish to excel 



in the cultivation of the Gooseberry must be 

 directed; they must pay attention to the roots 

 also, which should be pruned every two or 

 three years. 



Trenches filled with compost or manure are 

 formed round the tree in advance of the roots, 

 into which these may strike root. This will 

 ensure plenty of nourishment; and, besides, the 

 trees are mulched and regularly supplied with 



Fig. 1021. —Pot -grown Gooseberries, showing three styles of training. 



water both as regards the roots and foliage. 

 The fruit is also thinned excessively, so as to 

 leave only two or three on each branch. By 

 these means, and by placing a saucer with 

 water under the fruit, the latter attains an 

 enormous size — upwards of If ounce in some 

 cases. Under these circumstances richness of 

 flavour cannot be expected. 



By the mode of pruning described, the bushes 

 will assume a concave form. This will be suit- 

 able for the northern and midland parts of the 

 kingdom, but in the warmest parts of the south 

 it exposes the fruit too much to the sun, and 

 therefore many growers leave a few shoots in 

 the middle. Some prune their bushes only 

 every second year, only half their plantation 

 being pruned in one season, and the other half 

 the next. In the portion not pruned the young 

 fruit often escapes destruction from spring frosts, 



whilst that on the pruned trees, from being 

 more exposed, is cut off; and again, if ex- 

 cessively hot weather should set in when the 

 fruit is ripening, the unprnned bushes afford 

 more shade. 



Gooseberries may be trained against espaliers 

 or pales, in which case the fan mode is most 

 suitable, because it affords the greatest facility 

 for training in a succession of young wood. 

 They are also trained on arched trellises. For 

 this purpose they ought to be planted 15 or 

 18 inches apart, and trained with a single stem, 

 which should be shortened at the autumn prun- 

 ing, in order that it may be well furnished with 

 spurs and laterals to fill the space; but none of 

 these laterals should be allowed to grow so 

 strong as the leading shoot, otherwise it will 

 not make good progress. 



Gooseberry plantations should be dressed in 



