576 



Gooseberry Growing. 



[Sept., 



For further information as to manuring, see Leaflet No. 314 ; 

 and as to Liming, Leaflet No. 170. 



Cultivation. — The land must be kept in good tilth to con- 

 serve moisture, especially while the crop is developing, as on the 

 vigour of the bushes the weight of the crop depends to a large 

 extent. Several hand hoeings will be necessary, and the horse 

 hoe or cultivator should be used every fortnight — especially as 

 soon after heavy rain as possible — until the berries are picked. 

 During the latter part of the summer no more cultivation should 

 be given than is necessary to keep down weeds, otherwise late 

 sappy growth may be encouraged. 



Pruning. — With Gooseberries, fruit is borne at the bases, 

 of short spurs on wood from 1 to 10 years old, but the finest 

 fruit is produced on young vigorous wood of the preceding year's 

 growth. It will therefore be seen that it is essential to practice 

 a system of pruning sufficiently hard to produce plenty of young 

 growth, and, with varieties which do not form natural spurs 

 readily, a system of spur pruning will be required. Unless closely 

 pruned the weak growing varieties would soon lose vigour, but 

 strong growers, such as Whinham's Industry, require more 

 latitude on good soils, and the leaders of these should not be 

 shortened after the first two or three years. 



At the end of the first season's growth 5 to 6 of the strongest 

 shoots should be selected to form the foundation of the bush 

 and should be cut back from one-half to two-thirds according 

 to their vigour, the weaker being cut harder than the stronger, 

 and all remaining superfluous material should be cut back to 

 spurs 1 in. long for the production of fruit buds. It should be 

 •borne in mind that the position of the terminal bud which is 

 left aids in determining the direction of the following season's 

 growth of the branch. 



During the succeeding annual primings, the chief points to 

 remember are : — 



(1) Do not crowd the bush with too many main branches, 



which should be so spaced as to admit the sun's 

 rays and the hand of the gatherer. Increase the 

 number as the bush increases in diameter, but keep 

 them well spaced, yet at the same time well furnished 

 with laterals and fruit spurs. 



(2) Cut back sufficiently hard to keep the bush vigorous, 



to ensure a supply of young wood and to cause buds 



