Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-01
Good in Gooseberries.

The gooseberry is beginning to rise to
its deserved place in popular estima-
ton. AS the fine English sorts, like
European grapes, can not endure the
trials of our climate; and as our native
~gooseberries in their wild state, are too
harsh with acidity, and with prickles,
not only upon the bush, but upon the
fruit itself, to be taken into gardens in
their un~convertcd state, we Lave aim ost
lost knowledge of what good there is IN
g%ooseberries. Gradually, however. inn
provement has shown itself. The old
sweetwater was t~olcrablc; Houghton
had decided merit; the Mountain eed-
ling was better as a bush: smiths a
larger fruit; and Downing's quite an
approach to the English sorts. Now
we hear OF capable growers taking up
the gooseberry us a subject Of %hybridil-
ing industry, with notable results fol-
lowing. James Dougall, of Ontario,
has distinguished the evening years Of
Il long and busy life by originating
some very distinct sorts full OF promise;
some Of which have been sold Tor prop
aeation at handsome prices, showing
that people are really to welcome i'm
provements in this line. | am sorry I
can not now recall the name OF an
American culturist who is said to have
also developed valuable new cross
breeds Of this fruit.
The geo :cborry is peculiar in bcinga at
its b,sttor culinary use when sill green,
taking the place OF pie-plant When hat
begins TO fail, and with a great oeal
more piHuancy Of flavor; u flavor so
penetrating and SO aPpetizing as to
make one quite willing to wait for the
full maturity Of tie strawberries, which
comes next in the circle OF fruits. Green
goosebclries, like their co acids, the
cranbarries, keep so well, that tefore
anything was known OF TIL pre:en,
practice of canning fruits ard 'cgeta.
b'es they used to be putinto bottles, tho
sraccs filled with Boiled wate::, Used
cold, and so sealed up, for use at any
time. a pound Of green goose erries
requires, it is true, Il pound Of sugar to
render them exquisite as tarts CT sauce,
but these two pounds have vastly moro
gustator:al vim than t%o pounds OF
sugar alone possess.
The pricklines; OF gooscberry lu hes,
their irregular and crowded natural
growth, and the consequent ease with
which they become chokcd with grass
or weeds, soon expel them from the
gardens OF the indolent. Yet they a.
very eaaily managed if time be taken
by the forelock. A boy o II girl a very
easily manage them, and neal town
markets night readily earn pocket
money from their culture. This de-
mands, first, good sorts; next. 60 d
soil, or liberal mu.ching with manure
but if the soil is already rich, the mulch
may be tan or coal ashes. Ii a bush
has becone C DIVIDED the weaker slloots
are shipped out with shears, and some
old rag Or paper stuffed in to keep
others from springing up. Cut out
weak shoots of last year and very old
, exhausted ones. All over the bush the
shoots should be. as seventy ~ pos iblc, six
inches APP, TT, to let ]; ght into the heart,
sld to have fruit n the entire head. 1t
well to use The shears some as soon
Is the fruit has been picked. Tie in or
| crop up shoots that wander OF crowd
others. With gloves and good shears y
ooy val take pleasure in TIE work, and
will have learned the principles that
apply to the pruning %! orchard trees
ryE. M ls&l"Sv:.