NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS FIELD STATION, 1913-1922 23 
GOOSEBERRIES 
This fruit has not yielded as consistently as currants, nor has it 
generally been as hardy or long-lived; still gooseberries have their 
place, and fairly good crops have been produced in favorable years. 
Plants in the variety tests generally have been grown without winter 
protection, but all varieties have suffered more or less injury in 
severe winters, and some have winterkilled badly. 
The first variety test was started in 1913 with two plants of Mel- 
ford and 10 plants each of Houghton, Downing, Carrie, and Josselyn. 
Carrie and Houghton gave the best results, producing a light crop 
in 1915, and about 1 quart to the bush in 1916. All varieties suffered 
severely during the winter of 1916-17 and were discarded in the 
summer of 1917. 
In 1914 another test was started which included 20 plants each of 
Houghton, Josselyn, Downing, Carrie, Champion, Transparent, and 
Industry. Houghton produced a few berries in 1915, and more than 
a quart to the bush in 1916. ‘Transparent and Carrie were the next 
best producers in 1916. Downing and Carrie were the best yielders 
in 1917, the former producing almost a quart to the bush. Winter 
injury was severe in 1917-18, and the 1918 crop was a failure. 
Josselyn, Carrie, and Champion each yielded about a quart to the 
bush in 1919. All varieties in this test were practically dead in 1920 
and were discarded. The average yields to the bush for the four 
best varieties for the four years from 1916 to 1919, inclusive, were 
approximately as follows: Carrie, 0.56 quart; Transparent, 0.50 
quart; Houghton, 0.48 quart; and Downing, 0.46 quart. 
A third test, including 9 varieties, was started in 1918, but all 
varieties in this planting have been discarded except the Van Fleet, 
which produced a light crop in 1919, more than 1 quart to the bush 
in 1920, and 414 quarts to the bush in 1922. The fruit of all varieties 
was scalded by hot winds in the summer of 1921. Carrie goose- 
berries planted at a considerable distance from the Van Fleet test in 
the same year (1918) produced 2 quarts to the bush in 1922, or less 
than half as much as the Van Fleet. 
In general, Carrie, Transparent, Houghton, and Van Fleet have 
ranked among the hardiest varieties and most consistent yielders. 
The fruit of the Van Fleet is the largest and best of the four. 
RASPBERRIES 
This fruit does not thrive without irrigation in the dry climate of 
the northern plains. Prolonged droughts in May and June, when 
the fruit is forming, often cause complete failures. Fairly satis- 
factory yields were obtained at the field station in 1916 and in 1922, 
but the crop was a failure in other years. 
With the exception of a native black raspberry, which is semihardy 
without protection, all varieties require winter protection. This is 
Enerally afforded by laying the canes down and covering them with 
soil. 
The first variety test was started in 1913, but there is no record 
of this test after 1915, up to which time no fruit of any consequence 
had been produced. 
Another more extensive test was started in 1914 and continued 
until 1920, when the varieties had become so badly mixed by sucker- 
