Oct.] the FRUIT GARDEN. 527 
it must be particularly observed, always to keep the ground under 
and immediately contiguous to each bush, free from weeds or crops 
of any kind; for if damps and moisture are confined about the 
bushes in this way the fruit will mildew and become useless. 
It will be in vain to expect fine fruit unless you have good kinds, 
and give them the best ground possible, a plentiful supply of 
manure annually, frequent culture and regular pruning. 
The best time to plant them out finally is, when they have had 
one or two years' growth from cuttings; or indeed the cuttings 
may, with great propriety, be planted where they are to remain for 
fruiting. Old gooseberry bushes seldom bear large fruit after being- 
transplanted, unless they are carefully removed with large balls of 
earth around their roots. 
Previous to planting, each young tree should be pruned up to 
one clean stem of eight to ten or twelve inches before you form the 
head: for when they are suffered to branch away immediately from 
the bottom, they, by spreading out so near the ground, will impede 
the growth of any crops that grow near them, and in the occasional 
and very necessary business of manuring, digging, hoeing, weeding, 
&c. will be very troublesome to work between. 
For further observations on the planting of gooseberries see 
pages 137" and 293. 
Pruning and Propagating Gooseberries. 
The latter part of this month, and the entire of the next, will be 
a very suitable season for the pruning of gooseberries. It is a 
practice too common in pruning these trees to let them branch out 
with long naked stems, suffering them to remain in that state for 
many years. When that is already the case they should be cut 
down, or considerably shortened, to promote a free growth of 
healthy young shoots, which will bear fruit abundantly the second 
year. But for general instructions on this head see page 32. 
You may now plant cuttings of the various kinds of gooseberries 
which you wish to propagate; for the necessary instructions see 
page 293. 
Note. — New varieties of gooseberries may be obtained by sowing 
seeds of the best kinds you are able to procuye, either in this or 
any of the autumn months, in beds in the open ground, or in boxes 
of good earth. From these sowings tlie plants will rise freely in 
spring, and by the autumn or spring following may be planted in 
nursery rows to remain another season, after which they are to be 
finally planted out for fruiting; or they may remain where planted 
from the seed-bed till they show specimens of fruit; then those that 
are good are to be taken due care of; the others, which, by the bye, 
will be the far greater number, may be thrown away. 
If the seed is kept out of the ground till spring scarcely any of 
it will vegetate till that time twelve months; therefore it is neces- 
sary either to sow it in autumn, or to preserve it in damp earth or 
sand till February or March. If sown in autumn cover it near 
half an inch deep with loose, rich earth; but if in spring a quarter 
of an inch will be sufficient. 
