THE GOOSEBERRY. 



501 



to obtain fine gooseberries here, or anywhere, without a very thorough 

 thinning out of the branches. As a general rule, it may safely be said 

 that one-half of the head, including old and young branches (more espe- 

 cially the former, as the best fruit is borne on the young wood), should 

 now be taken out, leaving a proper distribution of shoots throughout 

 the bush, the head being sufficiently thinned to admit freely the light 

 and air. An additional pruning is, in England, performed in June, 

 which consists in stopping the growth of long shoots by pinching out 

 the extremities and thinning out superfluous branches ; but if the 

 annual pruning is properly performed this will not be found necessary, 

 except to obtain fruit of extraordinary size. 



We do not think that this fruit shrub can be said to bear well for 

 more than a half-dozen years successively, when grown in the single 

 stem or tree form. In large plantations of acres, and where cultivation 

 is given by means of the horse and plough, the system of growing in the 

 bush form is by many considered most profitable ; and when so done, 

 all that is requisite, from year to year, for many years, is to cut away 

 dead wood, head back vigorous shoots, and keep the form open. 



A succession of young plants should be kept up by striking some 

 cuttings every season. 



Varieties. The number of these is almost endless, new ones being 

 produced by the prize growers every year. The last edition of the 

 London Horticultural Society's Catalogue enumerates 149 sorts consid- 

 ered worthy of notice, and Lindley's Guide to the Orchard gives a list 

 of more than seven hundred prize sorts. It is almost needless to say 

 that many of these very closely resemble each other, and that a small 

 number of them will comprise all the most valuable. 



The sorts bearing fruit of medium size are generally more highly 

 flavored than the very large ones. We have selected a sufficient num- 

 ber of the most valuable for all practical purposes. 



I. Red Gooseberries. 



Boardman's British Crown. Fruit very large, roundish, hairy, 

 handsome and good. Branches spreading. 



Champagne. A fine old variety, of very rich flavor. Fruit small, 

 roundish oblong, surface hairy, pulp clear; branches of very upright 

 growth. 



Capper's Top Sawyer. Fruit large, roundish, pale red, hairy; 

 rather late ; flavor very good. Branches drooping. 



Farrow's Boaring Lion. An immense berry, and hangs late. 

 Fruit oblong, smooth ; flavor excellent ; branches drooping. 



Hartshorn's Lancashire Lad. Fruit large, roundish, dark red, 

 hairy ; flavor very good ; branches erect. 



Keen's Seedling. Fruit of medium size, oblong, hairy; flavor- 

 first-rate ; branches drooping. Early and productive. 



Leigh's Bifleman. Fruit large, roundish, hairy ; flavor first-rate ; 

 branches erect. 



Melling's Crown Bob. Fruit large, oblong, hairy ; flavor first- 

 rate ; branches spreading. 



Miss Bold. Fruit of medium size, roundish, surface downy ; flavor 

 excellent; branches spreading. 



