665. Miss Tollett, Williams's, 1825. 668. Mount Pleasant, Gregory's. 671. Mrs. Denman, Page's, 1825. 673. + Noble Landlady. 674. Northern Hero. 675. Olive, White's. 676. Pigeon's Egg. 677. † Pillar of Beauty. 678. + Pilot. 679. ↑ Prime Minister, Whittaker's. 680. + Rattler, Hulme's. 681. + Redress. 682. + Republican. 688. + Ringlet, Hague's. 684. Ringley Ranter. 685. Rockgetter, Andrews's. 686. Rose, Nield's. 687. Rose, Withington's. 688. Sampson. A SELECTION OF GOOSEBERRIES FOR A SMALL GARDEN. 1. CAPPER'S TOP SAWYER. No. 60. in the list. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit late, very large, oblong, pale red, hairy near the base; very excellent. 2. CHAMPAGNE. No. 241. Branches erect. Fruit late, middle-sized, somewhat oblong, dark red, hairy; most excellent. 3. FARMER'S ROARING LION. No. 48. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit late, very large, oblong, dull red, smooth: the largest of all the gooseberries. 4. KNIGHT'S MARQUIS OF STAFFORD. No. 328. Branches somewhat erect. Fruit late, large, roundish-oblong, bright red, hairy: excellent. 5. MELLING'S CROWN BOB. No. 7. Branches drooping. Fruit rather late, large, oblong, bright red, hairy: very good. 6. OLD ROUGH RED. No. 345. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit small, round, dark red, very hairy: most excellent for preserving as gooseberry jam, and the best for bottling when green. Yellows. 7. DIXON'S GOLDEN YELLOW. No. 459. Branches drooping. Fruit early, pretty large, roundish-oblong, greenish yellow, smooth. 8. GORDON'S VIPER. No. 107. Branches drooping. Fruit early, large, somewhat turbinate, greenish yellow, smooth. 9. HAMLET'S KILTON. No. 472. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit early, large, roundish-oblong, bright greenish yellow, slightly hairy. 10. HARDCASTLE'S GUNNER. No. 81. Branches somewhat erect. Fruit rather late, large, obovate, with large veins, hairy or bristly. 11. HILL'S GOLDEN GOURD. No. 450. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit very early, large, oblong, greenish yellow, slightly hairy: very excellent. 12. PROPHET'S ROCKWOOD. No. 96. Branches erect. Fruit very early, large, roundishoblong, dark yellow, slightly hairy. Greens. 13. EARLY GREEN HAIRY. No. 529. Pom. Mag. t. 22. Branches erect. Fruit early, small, round, deep green, hairy early and excellent. 14. EDWARDS'S JOLLY TAR. No. 131. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit early, of a middling size, large, roundish-oblong, with yellowish veins, smooth. 15. MASSEY'S HEART OF OAK. No. 128. Branches drooping. Fruit rather early, large, oblong, with pale yellow veins, smooth excellent. 16. NIXON'S GREEN MYRTLE. No. 576. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit late, large, oblong, tapering to the base, pale green, smooth. 17. PARKINSON'S LAUREL. No. 132. Branches erect. Fruit rather late, large, roundish oblong, pale green, very downy. 18. WAINWRIGHT'S OCEAN. No. 142. Branches drooping. Fruit pretty early, large, oblong or ovate, smooth the largest of this colour, Whites. 19. CLEWORTH'S WHITE LION. No. 197. Branches somewhat drooping. Fruit late, roundishoblong, slightly hairy, sometimes nearly smooth. 20. CROMPTON'S SHEBA QUEEN. No. 188. Pom. Mag. t. 12. Branches somewhat erect. Fruit early, pretty large, roundish-oblong, downy: excellent. 21. MOORE'S WHITE BEAR. No. 705. Branches somewhat erect. Fruit early, large, roundish-oblong, hairy, or somewhat bristly. 22. SAUNDERS'S CHESHIRE LASS. No. 156. Branches erect. Fruit very early, large, oblong, downy excellent for tarts early in the spring, when few are ready for that purpose. 23. WELLINGTON'S GLORY. No. 195. Branches erect. ovate, very downy Fruit pretty early, large, somewhat excellent. 24. WOODWARD'S WHITESMITH. No. 199. Branches erect. Fruit pretty early, large, roundishoblong, or somewhat ovate; when highly ripened and exposed to the sun the skin becomes brownish, very downy very excellent, and more in esteem than any other gooseberry of this colour. This list, by far the most ample of any that has yet appeared, will enable the grower to form a just estimate of the comparative merit of the principal part of those gooseberries which have been exhibited for prizes from 1825 to 1829 inclusive; a period, probably, when horticulture has been as extensively encouraged, and flourished as much, as at any time of equal extent within our memory. The first part will enable those who are desirous of exhibiting the largest specimens in the dessert to choose the heaviest kinds of the different colours, let his selection be large or small; and, together, it will afford the nurseryman the means of correcting his collection, if it should happen to be wrong, and thus accomplish a twofold purpose, which will fully compensate for the space it takes up in the present work. Propagation. Gooseberries are propagated by cuttings, in the same manner as Currants; but where strong cuttings cannot be obtained, shorter ones of six inches in length will be sufficient, planting them so that the two upper eyes only are above the surface of the bed: these will generally produce two shoots each, the strongest of which, at the end of the year, may be selected to form the stem of the plant, and shortened to the desired height. If one or two small cuttings only can be obtained from a plant for propagation, short lengths of three inches each, including the extremity, may be planted with success, under a hand-glass, leaving only one eye above the surface; or, which is better, level with the surface: the month of October is the best time for this purpose. In order to have fine, well-flavoured fruit, the bushes, as directed for Currants, must be planted in a good soil and a favourable situation, kept in a state of vigour, and thin of wood by annual prunings, so as to admit plenty of sun, and a free circulation of air. The largest berries are grown on vigorous young bushes, which have not more than five or six branches, and allowing only two or three berries to grow on each, or indeed only one berry on each: the latter are invariably those which have carried off the best prize. In dry hot weather, the plants must be supplied with water, and the fruit shaded from the sun for a few hours in the middle of the day. Cultivation of Gooseberries and Currants. Gooseberries and Currants, when planted in the open quarters of a garden, require similar treatment; therefore such directions as are given for one may be strictly applied to the other, with but a very trifling deviation, which will be explained towards the sequel of this article. Confining myself for the present to the Gooseberry, I must observe with regard to its early management, |
