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THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 
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THE GOOSEBERRY. 
"When young Gooseberry-trees are purchased they are often found with large aggregations of 
suckers about the stems, which not only rob the tree of nutriment, which should be otherwise appro- 
(Y'n priated, but are a plague to the cultivator during the whole existence of it. All this 
j I may be avoided by proper attention to the first formation of the plant when in the 
state of a cutting. A young shoot, fifteen inches long, may be chosen and cut smoothly 
across at its base, cutting all the buds cleanly out except the three upper ones, which 
are intended to form the future head. This will give a 
clear stem of one foot in height, from which no suckers 
will ever arise (see Fig. 7, A). We urge attention to this 
point from having seen it so much neglected. The three 
buds a a a at the top of the cutting will each produce shoots, 
which in the following winter may be shortened to three 
or four buds ; these in the third year will form the skeleton 
of the future tree, as many being retained as circumstances 
and the judgment of the primer may dictate. A well- 
formed Gooseberry-bush should resemble a basin in shape, 
and stand upon a clean stem or pedestal of one foot in 
height, for the purpose of keeping the fruit free from the 
splashing occasioned by heavy rains, which, without this 
precaution, would spoil much of it. All the branches should 
radiate from a common centre, neither crossing nor crowding 
each other. 
The fruit of the Gooseberry is borne upon the young 
wood of the previous year, as also upon spurs along 
the older branches (see Fig. 7, B, in which a is young 
wood, and b b b older spurs). One great point of good 
management is therefore to provide a succession of well- 
placed bearing shoots gradually removing the old and 
enfeebled branches. It is well to shorten the points of the 
young shoots a little, as it prevents them from becoming 
naked of spurs at their bases, which they are apt to do, the 
sap always flowing with greater force to terminal 
buds than it does to those which are situated lower 
down. Gooseberries are sometimes trained with tall 
single stems and weeping heads, or open basin- 
shaped ones, and sometimes as pyramids. Pretty 
and interesting as are these forms, they may be con- 
sidered rather as ingenious displays of artistic skill 
on the part of the gardener, who has ample means 
I'ig. 6. for its developement, than as really useful, or remu- 
nerative in a superior degree. And then we do not find them adopted 
either by market gardeners or prize Gooseberry growers. Sometimes 
this fruit is trained upon a wall, and for this purpose we think vertical 
training the best form. Where the fruit of the Gooseberry is gathered 
green for bottling, or for tarts, the trees may be left thicker of wood 
than where it is intended that they should perfect their fruit, and 
vice versa. 
In shortening back old branches care should always be taken to 
cut to a rising shoot, i. e. one whose tendency is to keep the tree 
upright rather than to bring it to the ground. The produce of trees 
thus managed will always be plentiful and good, and the advantages 
of order and method be as apparent in cultivating this humble fruit as 
the results of our advancing knowledge are evident in the higher departments of fruit culture. 
THE RED AND WHITE CURRANT. 
The directions for forming the Gooseberry-bush apply equally to the currant, and its management 
as to pruning is much the same. It produces its finest fruit upon the young wood, and it is therefore 
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