602 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 12, 
jlRuralisms [ 
Hopeful Gooseberry Hybrids. —Tlie 
gooseberry lias never attained special pop¬ 
ularity in this country though it is one of 
the most profitable and highly esteemed of 
minor fruits abroad, particularly in the 
northern portion of Great Britain. It is 
scarcely thought of here as a dessert fruit, 
and rarely appears in our markets except 
in a rankly immature stage for conversion 
into pies, tarts, acid jellies and conserves 
Gooseberries were plentiful, if not highly 
appreciated, in old gardens, but since the 
cdvent of the European Currant worm 
are not generally considered worth plant¬ 
ing for family use. Yet it is one of the 
most delicious of fruits when well grown 
and thoroughly ripened. The flavor of 
some of our native kinds is most distinct 
and agreeable, but they have not received 
the cultural attention they deserve. Sev¬ 
eral new varieties have been introduced 
within the last dozen years, but the for¬ 
eign type so strongly predominates in 
them that they are not suited for general 
culture. Triumph or Columbus and Josse- 
lyn have proved most reliable, but they 
must be grown in partial shade in this lo¬ 
cality, as the foliage will not endure our 
hot sun. Industry, Keepsake and White¬ 
smith are most successful of the imported 
kinds, but have the additional drawback 
of being more or less subject to mildew. 
All the above bear large fruits, and are 
exceedingly productive when their cultural 
requirements are fully satisfied, but on the 
whole give little satisfaction on account of 
their indifferent quality as grown here. 
Native Kinds Best. —Houghton and 
Downing are without doubt the most 
widely grown and commercially successful 
gooseberries cultivated in this country. 
They are seedlings in the order named 
from the little smooth-fruited wild goose¬ 
berry of the Eastern States,Ribes oxyacan- 
thoides, but very likely owe their increased 
size to accidental hybridization with some 
of the large berried European kinds,plenti¬ 
fully cultivated at the time. Downing was 
raised from seeds of Houghton, but is a 
wide departure from the general run of 
• seedlings of that highly popular variety. 
Houghton and Downing would appear 
promising sorts to breed from, but the 
common experience appears to be that 
whether self-pollinated, intercrossed or 
hybridized with native or foreign garden 
varieties, little merit is shown in their di¬ 
rect seedlings. We have fruited many 
from year to year, but have failed to se¬ 
cure an)' marked improvement. By pol¬ 
linating. however, the best hybrid of 
Houghton and a wild Ribes oxyacanthoides 
with Triumph, as one of the most thor¬ 
oughly acclimatized forms of R. grossula- 
ria, the long cultivated old-world goose¬ 
berry, we gained a distinct advance, and 
some really hopeful new varieties have 
come from again crossing the best of the 
second generation hybrids with Josselyn, 
formerly known as Red Jacket. Fig. 255, 
page 599, is a somewhat reduced illustra¬ 
tion of one of the best of these latter seed¬ 
lings. The bush from which this branch 
was cut is now five years old, and has 
borne three immense crops, every branch 
from base to tip being covered with ber¬ 
ries as shown in the cut. They ripen in 
mid-July and hang a long time, the smaller 
ones remaining green, but quickly growing 
to full size and ripening as the larger ones 
are removed. The size runs as large as 
Downing, color dark red, juicy, sweet and 
well flavored. Bush strong and upright in 
growth, but branches droop from weight 
of fruit. The foliage is large and glossy, 
appearing entirely resistant to sun and 
disease. Branches are numerous and quite 
thorny. Does not appear to root well 
from long outdoor cuttings, but propa¬ 
gates readily from short cuttings under 
glass. This variety, as compared with our 
best present standards, appears very 
promising. 
The Prickly Wild Gooseberry. —The 
most abundant gooseberry of the Atlantic 
States is probably the prickly-fruited Ribes 
cynosbati. It is a stout shrub, very abund¬ 
ant in rocky woodlands, and bears the larg¬ 
est fruits of any of our wild species. The 
berries are usually very prickly, though 
smooth-fruited plants have been found. 
They often reach half an inch in diameter, 
and are dark reddish purple when ripe, 
thick skinned, pulpy and generally well 
flavored. Little has been done to intro¬ 
duce this promising type to cultivation. 
One or two little-known, large-fruited va¬ 
rieties, Mountain from Lebanon, N. Y., 
and Crystal, which originated at Puyallup, 
Wash., arc supposed to be hybrids between 
this species and European kinds. Prof. 
William Saunders, Ottawa, Canada, has 
raised a number of hybrids of Cynosbati, 
one of which, a cross between the native 
kind and Red Warrington, a celebrated 
English dessert gooseberry, is shown in 
natural size in Fig. 253, page 598, together 
with typical fruits of Cynosbati. We have 
fruited this variety several. years, from 
plants kindly furnished by Prof. Saunders, 
and find it vigorous and productive. The 
berries are too spiny for pleasant eating, 
but are richly flavored. The most desira¬ 
ble of the Rural Grounds' many seedlings 
of Cynosbati is shown in Fig. 252, also in 
natural size. The prickles are so nearly 
eliminated that they cause no inconveni¬ 
ence in handling or in eating the berries, 
either fresh or cooked. The color is dark- 
red, skin quite thin; quality sweet and 
high. The bush is strong and spreading 
in growth, with heavy sun-proof foliage, 
and is quite productive the third year from 
seed. Two generations of crossing Tri¬ 
umph on the wild type were needed to re¬ 
duce the sharp spines to harmless hairs. 
Some very large-fruited prickly kinds re¬ 
sembling Prof. Saunders’ variety in ap¬ 
pearance and quality were developed in 
our breeding experiments, but are regard¬ 
ed as less useful than the single smooth 
one. Wild plants of this species usually 
have few thorns, and these placed singly 
at the base of the leaves. The hybrids, 
where the European sorts have been used, 
are well covered with large thorns, but the 
berries are so long stemmed that they are 
very easily picked. Propagation, both by 
cuttings and layers, appears quite certain 
and easy. The berries of Cynosbati and 
its varieties are late in ripening, and hang 
longer than any other type we have grown, 
thus extending the gooseberry season quite 
to August. 
Thf. Round-Leaved Gooseberry. —The 
“Gooseberry currant” recently exploited 
by nurserymen and figured in The R. 
N.-Y. for September 27, 1902, appears to 
be a tall-growing form of Ribes rotundi- 
folium, a rather uncommon species native 
to the higher parts of the Allegheny and 
Catskill mountains. We have many hy¬ 
brids of both the typical, drooping, green- 
fruited species and the dark-colored Goose¬ 
berry currant with various large-berried 
kinds. These hybrids are the most aston¬ 
ishingly productive gooseberry plants we 
have ever seen. The berries do not, in the 
second generation, exceed half an inch in 
diameter, but are smooth, thin-skinned, 
mostly with a rich, agreeable flavor, and 
have the smallest seeds of any goose¬ 
berries tested here. Thorns are few but 
sharp, and the bushes grow quite slowly, 
perhaps on account of the immense crops 
borne every year. The foliage is small 
but healthy, and appears never troubled 
with insects. The value of this species for 
breeding purposes is yet problematical, as 
it is one of the smallest fruited in its wild 
state. 
The Prairie Gooseberry. —Ribes gracile 
is the most abundant gooseberry of the 
plains and Central States. It is a rather 
tall and vigorous grower, with leathery 
foliage that withstands the sun better than 
other natives. It has attracted attention 
at western experiment stations, and consid¬ 
erable work is being done, notably at the 
Minnesota and South Dakota stations, to 
fit it for cultivation. We have never been 
able to get the typical species, but a first- 
generation hybrid with a garden variety 
was secured through the kindness of the 
horticulturist of the Minnesota Station 
several years ago. It is exceedingly vig¬ 
orous, making shoots four feet high, but 
is almost sterile in this locality unless the 
blooms are pollenized by hand. The ber¬ 
ries are half an inch through, blackish pur¬ 
ple with red pulp when ripe. Hybrids be¬ 
tween this variety. Keepsake. Carman and 
Triumph fruited this season. They are 
much alike, coloring greenish-bronze as 
they ripen, with green pulp, thin-skinned, 
smooth, juicy, sweet and pleasant. The 
berries average as large as Houghton and 
were freely borne, but the plants are yet 
too young to judge of their productive¬ 
ness. The bushes are well set with stout 
thorns, and are strong, upright growers, 
with large, tough foliage. Considerable 
modification will be needed to fit this type 
for general cultivation, but It is not with¬ 
out hope, especially for the prairie dis¬ 
tricts. Quite oddly, typical fruits of R. 
gracile were sent us last Summer by a 
Connecticut correspondent, who said he 
picked them from a wild bush growing in 
a nearby swamp. It is within the bounds 
of possibility that the gooseberry species 
above enumerated and other promising 
forms in the Northwest may give rise un¬ 
der systematic breeding to varieties that 
will nut this desirable fruit in its proper 
place in garden culture. w. v. F. 
VERY crop takes plant-food from the 
soil that nature, unaided, cannot re¬ 
store. The liberal use of a complete 
fertilizer, rich in Potash, will revive old and 
worn out land to fertility, and insure larger 
crops from even the best of land. 
Our books are free to farmers—they are 
not advertising pamphlets, but works of 
reference and a valuable addition to the 
farmer’s library. They are free to all who 
will write for them. 
Address, German Kali Works, 93 Nassau Street, New York. 
AGRICULTURAL LIME. 
Fresh Burned and Coarsely Ground. 
Finely Ground for Bordeaux, White-washing, etc. 
For particulars, address, 
THE SENECA WHITE LIME CO„Fostoria,0 
Ft 
CKTILIZEK LIME cheaper than Phosphate. 
Manufactured by Walton Quarries, Harrisburg, Pa. 
r®' Let Us Send You 
Our Book. 
about good wheels and good wagons that will save 
you a lot of work and make you a lot of money—the 
ELECTRIC 
STEEL 
■and thc- 
WHEELS 
ELECTRIC HANDY WAGON. 
By every test, they are the best. More than one and 
a quarter millions sold. Spokes united to the 
hub. Can’t work loose. A set of our wheels will 
make your old wagon new. i atalogue free. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., Box 88, Quincy, Ills. 
Goodhue 
Wind 
Mills 
Our hand¬ 
some free 
booklet explains their many ad¬ 
vantages, and tells about our new 
INDESTRUCTIBLE 
TOWERS. 
It gives much valuable and practical informa¬ 
tion that should be in the hands of every farmer. 
Send for i t to-day and ask about our 
Windmill Insurance Policy. 
27 
APPLETON 
FARGO ST. 
MFG. CO. 
BATAVIA, ILL. 
IUBBER-TIRETOP BUGGY $ 
With leather - quarter top 
and all up-to-date appoint¬ 
ments. Guaranteed 2 yrs. 
Sold on .HO days free trial. 
51 = 
This and many other bargains 
fully described iu our free cuta- 
log. We are bona-fide manufac¬ 
turers, and sell direct to you at 
factory prices. Satisfaction guar¬ 
anteed. Write tor trim r:ii:i 1 .»g. 
U. S. BUGGY & CART CO., Sta. 627, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
WE LEAD THE WORLD 
We are the largest manufac¬ 
turers of Grooved and Plain 
Tire Steel Farm Wagon 
Wheels in America. We 
guarantee our patent 
Grooved Tire Wheels to 
be the best made by anybody 
anywhere. Write us. 
HAVANA METAL WHEEL GO. 
BOX 17 HAVANA. ILL. 
piDER 
W y Can be r 
right kino 
MAKING 
Can be made profitable if the 
right kind of machinery is used. 
WE MAKE THE RIGHT KIND. 
Send for catalogue. 
Boomer & Boschert Press Co., 
118 West Water St., Syracuse, N. Y. 
HARNESS 
We sell custom made oak-tanned leather harness direct to the 
individual at factory prices. And we warrantitto be the best 
made for the money. Only the 11 nest selected stock used. Noth¬ 
ing cheaper trashy. Guaranteed to give satisfaction or money 
hack. Illustrated catalogue F and price list free on request. 
T11E KING HAKNKSS CO., 0 Lake St., Onego, Tioga Co., N .Y. 
Saw Mills 
From 4 h.p. size to largest made. Favor¬ 
ites in every lumber district, because high¬ 
est grade. Edgers. Trimmers, Planers, Wood 
Saws, Shingle and Lath Mills, etc. Catalog free. 
American Saw Mill Machinery Co., 
CIO Engineering Bldg., New York. 
BALES « HAY 
Bale Hay 
Gem and Victor Presses. Easy to operate. Easy to buy. 
38 years —18 patents; big feed opening; greatest power.’ 
To get the book of facts and letters from many users just 
say HAY PKESS to GEO. BltTKL CO., Quincy, 11L 
The Baler for speed. Bales 12 to 18 tons a day. 
Has 40 inch feed hole. Adapted to bank barn 
work. Stands up to its work—no digging holes 
for wheels. Self-feed Attachment increases 
capacity, lessens labor, makes better bales and 
does not increase draft. Send for catalogue.' 
Sandwich Mfg. Co., 157 Main St., Sandwich, Ills. 
IF YOU WANT A MACHINE FOR 
Well 
DRILLING OR 
PROSPECTING 
with either Rope or Pipe Tools, write to us de¬ 
scribing your work, stating depth of wells and 
sizeof Bits or Drills you want. Our machines are 
the latest and most durable, and the greatest 
money earners ever made I Results guaranteed. 
LOOMIS MACHINE CO., TIFFIN, OHIO. 
NO COMBINES OR TRUSTS IN CUTAWAYS. 
Clark’s Reversible Bush & Bog Plow, cuts a track 4 ft. wide. I ft. deep. Will 
cutforest. His Double-Action Cutaway Harrow keeps the land 
true, moves 18,000 tons of earth, outs 30 acres per day. His ltev, 
Disk Plow cuts a furrow5 to 10 in. deep, - ,14 in.wide 
AUthese machlneswillkill witch- 
grass,wild mustard,charlock,hard- 
hack. sunflower, milk weed, thistle 
orany foul plant. Send forcir' 
LVJ v\C CUTAWAY HARROW 
x, Higganum, Conn., U. 8. A. 
DeLOACH PATENT 
Avoid imitators and infringers and buy the Genuine. Saw 
Mills, 4 H. P. and up. Shingle, Planing, Lath and Corn. 
Mills; four Stroke Hay Presses, Water Wheels. i 
a Catalog free. Wo pay the freight. I 
DeLOACH MILL M’F’G. CO., Box 3021 Atlanta, (is. 
^ ^^ ^ L -- 1 
AW Ml 
1 
