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XXXIII. A Report upon the best Varieties of the Gooseberry, 

 cultivated in the Garden of 'the Horticultural Society, at Chiswick. 

 By Mr. Robert Thompson, Under Gardener in the Fruit De- 

 partment. 



The principal part of this Paper was read before the Horticultural 

 Society so long since as January, 1827. At that time it was in- 

 tended to publish, in the Transactions, descriptions of all the Goose- 

 berries that were cultivated in the Society's Garden. Various 

 causes have however delayed the appearance of the Paper till the 

 present time ; and, in consequence of the recent publication of the 

 Descriptive Catalogue of the fruit trees cultivated by the Society, 

 it is no longer desirable that so extensive an undertaking as a de- 

 tailed description of every variety should be accomplished. 



I therefore propose on the present occasion to admit only what 

 may be considered first-rate kinds, referring the reader to the 

 Catalogue itself for particulars relating to the second-rate, or infe- 

 rior sorts. 



Even such as still remain are more numerous than any private 

 individual is likely to cultivate ; it will, however, now be easy for 

 any one to make such a selection as may suit his taste or objects ; 

 without running the risk of procuring second-rate kinds. 



To the descriptions I have thought it useful to prefix a few gene- 

 ral observations upon the characters by which the races of Goose- 

 berries are more particularly distinguished, and upon the sub-divi- 

 sions which may be employed for forming the whole of the varieties 

 into smaller sections, in order to facilitate their study. 



Those who wish for information relating to the weights that the 



