On page 71, of the report of the Fruit Growers’ Association, for 1877,
the worthy President says, in his interesting prize essay on “Results
accruing from the distribution of trees and plants by the Association,”
“The gooseberry dissemination was from some cause a failure.” This
remark does not apply with justice to the Downing gooseberry bush I
received from the Association in the spring of 1874. Last year it was
heavily laden, and this year the product was carefully measured, result,
seven imperial quarts of very fine large berries; every branch was
covered with them, hanging as closely together as grapes. The bush is
planted in a partially shaded situation, on low land, rather moist sandy
loam and black mould. The treatment consists of hellebore for the
foliage when needed, with a half bushel or so of coal ashes spread under
the bush in the spring, with a light thinning out of shoots from the
centre. I have never perceived any signs of mildew, although an English
gooseberry bush near it had some mildewed berries after the same
treatment.
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