GOOSEBERRY. 



141 



ing, where too exter, ded, or curvated ^''^'^'^mmodiouslv : leave 

 these from eight to twelve inches in V ngth, according to 

 strength and situation ; those of moderate extent, and 

 regular growth will require very little shortening, and 

 many none at all. Observe, too close cutting, or general 

 shortening, occasions a great superfluity of Vv ood in sum- 

 mer ; for the multiplied laterals, thus forced from the eyes 

 of the shortened branches, increase to a thicket, so as to re- 

 tard the growth, and prevent the full ripening of the fruit : 

 on which account it is an important part of pruning to keep 

 tbe middle of the head open and clear, and to let the occa- 

 sional shortening of the shoots be sparing and moderate. 

 Between the bearing branches keep a regulated distance 

 of at least six inches at the extremities, which will render 

 them fertile bearers of good fruit. Some persons, not 

 pruning the gooseberry-tree on right principles, are apt to 

 leave the shoots excessively close and tufted, while they 

 shorten the whole promiscuously ; others sometimes clip 

 them with garden shears to close, round heads : in conse- 

 quence of being pruned in these methods, the bushes shoot 

 crovvdedly, full of young wood in summer, from which the 

 fruit is always very small, and does not ripen freely with 

 full flavour." — Loudon, 



Forsyth says, " Many of the Lancashire sorts are apt to 

 grow horizontally, and the branches frequently trail on the 

 ground, which renders them liable to be broken by high 

 winds, especially when they are loaded with fruit. In that 

 case, I would recommend two or three hoops to be put 

 round them, to whidh the branches may be tied, to sup- 

 port them, and prevent their being broken by the w^ind.'^ 



Prolonging the crop. — In addition to planting late sorts 

 in shady situations, the bushes, whether standards or train- 

 ed, may be matted over when the fruit is ripe, and, in this 

 way, some of the reds, as the Warrington, and the thick- 

 skinned yellow sorts, as the Mogul, will keep on the trees 

 till Christmas." 



Insects, — The gooseberry is infested with the caterpillars 

 of several species of flies, and various methods have been 

 prescribed to destroy them, which are detailed by Loudon. 

 — Encyc/ of Gard. p. 734, 735. The applications he men- 

 tions were, generally, m.ade by means of watering-pans and 

 garden-engines, and the substances used were decoctions 

 of tobacco, elder leaves, black currant leaves, soap, quick 

 lime, &c. Mr. Loudon observes, however, that, in his 

 opinion, " the only effectual plan seems to be that of hand- 



