SHOW GOOSEBERRIES. 
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whole of their strength and sap to the production of a superabundance 
of blossoms; but unless they are assisted by art, they have not suffi¬ 
cient strength to set their fruit. In order, then, to remedy this defect, 
and to assist nature as much as possible, adopt the following plan :--- 
Take a pair of scissors, such as are used for thinning grapes, and 
go over the corymbs of flowers, or rather of flower-buds, as soon as 
they are sufficiently elongated to allow the points of the scissors to 
pass between them, that is, some days before the blossoms are ex¬ 
panded, and thin them; leaving only five or six blossoms in each, 
according to the size of the corymb : always preferring to leave the 
flowers which have the stoutest stalks, and those which are nearest 
the centre. This operation has the effect of diverting the sap to the 
flowers which remain, and gives them sufficient strength to set from 
one to three fruits in each umbel; which will prove a sufficient crop, 
and well repay the labour bestowed. Another mode, less tedious 
than the above, may be practised with success, on young trees. 
It consists in deferring that part of the pruning of them, which is 
termed shortening the young wood, until the blossoms are in about 
the same state as is described in the above directions for thinning, 
and then shortening them back to the required length. This also 
checks the progress of the sap, and enables the tree to set fruit very 
freely.- -Gard. Mag. 
ARTICLE VI. 
ON THE CULTURE OF SHOW GOOSEBERRIES. 
BY MR. SAUL. 
It was generally supposed some time ago, that to obtain fine show 
gooseberries, it was necessary to train the trees; and that, if so 
treated, in five or six years, they would become strong, and be sure to 
produce large fruit. The result of seven years’ experience, how¬ 
ever, proves that training is quite unnecessary. Gooseberry-bushes 
are only found to produce fruit suitable for exhibition when they are 
four or five years old; because the fruit after that age decreases in 
size, though it increases in number. Gooseberries rarely if ever 
produce fruit of a very large size, for more than two years together; 
and generally only one season. The mode usually practised here is, 
to take a gooseberry-tree out of the nursery in its second year. The 
next year, being the first after transplanting, it is not allowed to bear 
any fruit; but the year following, that is, in the fourth year of its 
age, it is in its prime, and will produce its largest, and finest fruit. 
