MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he. 97 



there will be no occasion to tread over the ground and hurt 

 the coleworts in pruning the bushes ; for, before the goose- 

 berries begin to shoot, the coleworts will be all cleared off 

 the ground. 



After this time (or before if you find it convenient) lay a 

 good coat of rotten dung on the ground ; then dig it and plant 

 early potatoes ; but not so near to the gooseberries as to hurt 

 them. 



The roots of gooseberries should always be kept clear to 

 admit the sun and air. In small gardens I would recommend 

 planting them in a quarter by themselves, at the distance of six 

 feet between the rows, and four feet from plant to plant ; or 

 you may plant them round the edges of the quarters, about 

 three feet from the path ; you will then have the ground clear 

 for cropping, and a man, by setting one foot on the border, can 

 gather the gooseberries without injuring the crop. 



As gooseberries love a rich soil, they should be dunged 

 every year, or at least have a good coat of dung once in two 

 years. 



Never plant them under the shade of other trees, as it will 

 injure the flavour of the fruit. 



Of Pruning Gooseberry-Bushes. 



It is a practice too common in pruning gooseberries, to 

 let them branch out with great naked stems, suffering them 

 to remain in that state for years. When that is already the 

 case, they should be cut down near to the ground in the winter 

 pruning; this will make them throw out fine strong healthy 

 shoots which will bear fruit the second year. Gooseberry- 

 bushes, in general, bear their fruit on the second year's wood. 

 Care should be taken in summer to keep the middle of the 

 bush clear to admit a free air into them ; leaving the finest 

 and strongest shoots from six to ten inches distant from each 

 other. This will help to ripen and harden the wood. It is a 

 practice with some to shorten the shoots in the autumn or win- 

 ter pruning ; This should be always near to a wood-bud ; 

 which may be known by its being single, whereas fruit-buds 

 are in clusters. The shoots may be shortened to eight or ten 

 inches, according to their strength. Some leave them at full 

 length for three or four years, thinning out those that are su- 

 perfluous. Always leave a proper number to be trained up 

 between the full length shoots, to succeed them when they 

 are tired of bearing ; then cut the old ones down to the 

 young ones that are to succeed them. By these means 5 ou 

 will always keep the bushes in a constant state of bearing. 



