264 



PRUNING. 



and the others are cnt out entirely. The reserved branches 

 ai-e then cut back to two or three buds ; from these one 

 shoot is taken on each branch, and the others are pinched 

 to favor this. By this method we shall have three stout 

 shoots in the fall.. If the plant had been well rooted, in- 

 stead of being newly transplanted, we might have taken 

 two shoots instead of one from each shortened branch. • 

 Tliese three branches are cut back at the next pruning to 

 three or four buds, and from each two new shoots are 

 taken, giving at the end of that season six stout young 

 shoots, situated at equal distances. At the next or third 

 pruning these branches are cut back about one-half, in 

 order to produce lateral branches and fruit spurs. At the 

 fourth pruning, the leading shoot is shortened one-third 

 to one-half Any lateral branches not required to fill up 

 spaces, or such as are improperly placed, are cut back to 

 three or fom- buds, so as to convert them into fniit 

 branches. 



In this way the pruning is conducted from year to year. 

 When the plants become feeble from overbearing, the 

 fruit branches may be headed down and replaced by new 

 vigorous shoots. The better way, however, to provide 

 for this difficulty, is to raise young plants from layers or 

 cuttings, to be at once substituted for such as fall a victim 

 to the mildew. A northern aspect, a cool, damp, substan- 

 tial soil, and abundance of manure, ar^ all necessary, in 

 comiection with the pruning described, to produce fine 

 grjoseberries. 



The famous growers of Lancashire, England, outdo all 

 the world besides in the production of large gooseberries. 

 Tlie Encyclopaedia of Gardening says — " To effect this 

 increased size, every stimulant is applied that their inge- 

 nuity can suggest; they not only annually manure the soil 

 richly, but also siuTound the plants with trenches of ma- 

 nure for the extremities of the roots to sti-ike into, and 



