Fruit-y rowing in Kent. 
115 
neighbourhood of Maidstone, paying very well on suitable 
land. It is also grown in East Kent under apple and plum 
trees, and more largely still in West Kent. These bushes are 
usually set about 6 feet apart under full standards and filberts, 
or 1210 plants to the acre; and 5£ feet apart, or 1140 plants to 
the acre, when put by themselves or under plums or damsons. 
Growers having short leases, or growers whose landlords 
decline to find standard trees, frequently make plantations of 
gooseberry or currant bushes alone, which come to bear in two 
or three years and pay well, if well managed, for a few years 
without renewal. Mr. Webb relates that a grower near Maidstone 
made 100/. in one year, from one acre of gooseberry-bushes.* 
The average return from an acre in full bearing, is probably 
about 381., from which must be deducted at least 22/. for 
expenses of all kinds. 
The method of propagating these bushes is to select straight 
portions of the leading shoots cut off in the winter, to reduce 
them to about 8 inches in length, and to set them in rows 
in a nursery. They are kept well trimmed, and are ready for 
planting out in two years or so, being trained in a cup-like 
form, from one stem about 10 inches from the ground, as the 
accompanying illustration shows. All rank-growing branches 
are cut away every year, and a m ^.-Pruned Gooseb:rr>j ' 
supply ot moderately -young wood 
is reserved for fruit-bearing. The 
land is dug in the winter, and 
manured with rags, shoddy, sprats, 
<Scc. It is hoed two or three times 
in the summer. Though the 
sorts of gooseberries are legion, 
amounting to over 300 varieties 
according to Mr. Darwin, Kent 
growers chiefly grow the White- 
smith, Warrington, Lancashire 
Lad, Crown Bob, Yellow Rifleman, Velvet White, Golden 
Drop, and Monarch. Should the demand be good, many of 
the gooseberries, especially the Whitesmith and Crown Bob 
sorts, are sent up green for bottling and cooking, directly they 
are large enough. The W arrington, a medium-sized red berry 
that ripens about the latest of all, being most excellent for pre- 
serving, having a sub-acid flavour, is very largely grown. Be- 
sides these qualities it has a peculiar arrangement of its thorns, 
which are so disposed that they serve to protect the buds in the 
winter from the onslaught of small birds, which are very fond 
* Op. ext., p. 42. 
i 2 
