THE GOOSEBERRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2490, 4 December 1901, Page 10

THE GOOSEBERRY.

(By J. C. Blackmoee, Pomologist, and S. I.

Fitch, Assistant Pomologist, South Island.) (Leaflet No. 45.) This valuable and hardy fruit adapts itself to various soils and situations, provided the land is deeply and thoroughly worked before planting. Good drainage is of paramount importance in gooseberry culture, a» the roots quickily perish in a water-logged j soil. Gooseberries are generally propagated by cuttings, which by preference should he made, and planted as soon as the leaves fall in the autumn. For cutting select short- J jointed one-year-old shoots' : gross, soft shoots should be avoided. Cuttings should be about 15m long ; if possible, remove the top close to a bud — this causes them to branch out. The bottom must also be cut square off close to the lowest bud. Then with a sharp knife carefully remove all buds and spines except three or four at the top. The- finished cuttings may then be planted in rows 18in or so apart, and a few inches from cutting to cutting, inserting them sin or 6iu deep, thus leaving 9in oi lOin above growd, 6in or 7in of which will be free from buds, which will form the- stem, of the future bush. From the buds left at the toj, of the cutting three or four strong branches will be produced before the following autumn, corresponding with the number of the buds left on the cutting. x These one-year-old ftusbei should tliea, bo removed to their uer- .

maucnt quarters .some time during tho dormant sea-son.

Five feet £:pan; i-> il-e minimum distance goosebciry bushes should bo planted, the method of calUsation intended to be followed regulating the distance. After planting head back the branches to within Tin or Bin of their base. The following spring select two well-placed shoots on each of the branches, cut back, pinch off any others to within three or four leaves. The shoots selected should be on the upper side of the branch, if possible with an upward tendency, the object being to keep the fruit off the. ground and allow a free current ot air under the bushes. Tf the^e young shoots make much more than a foot of growth, shorten them back in the winter to about that length. The bush is now to a certain extent formed, the object being to have it open in the centre, with main branehe thinly dispersed ; the side or lateral growth isftiing from these must be cut back in the winter to within lin of their base. Where, however, there is room for a young shoot to bear fruit it should be left its entire length. The future treatment consists of an annual winter pruning, rutting out old wood where a young shoot will replace it, the aim being to have a- well-shaped fruitful bush, with the branches bufficiently for apart to allow of the fruit being easily gathered without the hands being scratched by the spikes. Shortening back all young wood left and leaving the laterals too long causes the bush to become crowded with demo lateral growth, which is very objectionable, as it excludes light and air from The bush, and makes gathering the fruit a difficult and painful operation.

Fertilised.

If liberally treated the goo-eberry will continue annually to produce heavy crops ot fruit for many years. If available, stable manure is the best, applied as a mulch. The fibrous surface roots should not be injured by digging. If a special fertiliser has to be used it should be one rich in phosphoric acid, potash, and particularly nitrogen, applied on the surface and lightly worked m. In England small-fruit growers apply as a dressing for gooseberries, currants, ond raspberries, in equal proportions, sulphate of potash, sulphate of magnesia, and superphosphate, occasionally in addition applying nitrate of soda separately, the former applied at the rate of 3oz to 4oz to each square yard.

Varieties

i The number of varieties in cultivation are very munerou& ; eight really good kinds are as follows : Red, Crown Bob ; white, Whitesmith; yellow, Leveller; green, Thumper. , Small high-flavoured berries — Red Champagne, Red Warrington, Greengage, Smooth , Yellow. For preserving, such kinds ac ( Rough Red or Warrington should be grown. I Pickixg, Packing, and Maeketing. i Gooaebeiries, eapecially choice ripe dessert ■* arieties, are worthy of much more ' care than they receive at present ; in fact, ! comparatively few take any trouble in the matter, the gooseberries being handled and packed disgracefully ; consequently the fruit does not realise anything like the value, it should do if put in uniform, convenientbized packages, and placed before purchasers in a clean and attractive form. , Green gooseberries, as a rule, travel well ; ' therefore the ordinary case or half-case an- \ packed disgracefully ; consequently the fruit ' free from leaves and other rubbish. Where several varieties are grown, it is best to pack each sort by itself ; then the cook knows what she has, and the cooking quality I is uniform. Ripe gooseberries for dessert : These should never be put into large packages. Gather for travelling before overripe, and arrange in shallow boxes, punneti, or chip ba&kets, holding about lib of fruit ; and these pack) in boxes with movable floor, I and deep enough to hold several tiers; or j place in crates the same as mentioned for | other small fruits. Selected fruit thus j packed in handy-sized dainty gift packages I attracts purchasers and realises good prices,

amply repaying the grower for the extra care and labour bestowed. These remarks apply equally to all small or soft fruits, for the reason that in very many cases the success of any fruit upon the market depends to a great extent upon how it is handled.'. It is often, the packing and the package which sell the fruit, more than the fruit itself.

Blights and Pests

The borer is one of the most troublesome pests, frequently causing the loss of maiu branches, this spoiling the shape of tht bush.

Gooseberry Bust and Gooseberry Mildew. —These two fungus diseases of the gooseberry are destructive in some districts. Various scale and other insects also attack the gooseberry, doing much injury in some districts. It is therefore advisable to spray ah

bushes juat before the buds burst in the spring_with the lime, salt, and sulphur wash. (For formula see Leaflet for Gardeners, No. 10.)