THE gooseberry has never assumed a very important position among American fruits, because attention has been given mainly to the foreign sorts which do not prove well adapted to our climate; some of these foreign sorts are of fine size and good quality; there is also a variety differing in size, color, habit of growth, and other characteristics, giving a valuable and agreeable diversity and adaptation to numerous uses.

The superiority of foreign sorts is due to the efforts of cultivators in securing new and improved varieties by raising numerous seedlings, and then saving and multiplying by cuttings, and disseminating the best. This has been done until there seems little more to be desired from these foreigners, except adaptation to our climate; and this difficulty I believe to be insuperable. So long as we adhere to those raised from seed grown abroad, and adjusted by nature to a different climate from ours, they may give pretty good results occasionally, but as a whole they will disappoint us.

The general public will derive small benefit from the gooseberry until we produce from seed of the wild American stock, or crosses with it, a multitude of new individuals from which to select and propagate those having the qualities we most desire and of special value to us.

I was struck with the fact that we had accomplished very little yet in improving this fruit, by finding, on the coast of Maine, an abundance of wild gooseberries with fruit nearly as large and good as the Houghton; these were growing without care from man, among rocks and in poor soils. If we have stock as good as this to start with, it does not speak well for us that we have thus far done so little to secure superior varieties adapted to the wants and tastes of our citizens.

Experience with other fruits shows that we must look to native grown seedlings for our most' excellent and profitable sorts. Little can be done to change or modify the constitution of a plant by special care or culture; we must go to the seed for all reliable variations; and when any disposition to vary from the original wild type is discovered, we must follow it up, and, in the end, secure the results most desired.

So far as I know the gooseberry has not in this country produced many new and promising variations; it has held well to the habit of all wild fruits: not to show much change, until, in the hand of man, those conditions are secured which give safety to, and use for, individuals whose merit is not so much in hardihood of constitution, as beauty, abundance, and excellence of fruit. None of our best cultivated varieties of fruits would survive for a single century, if a wilderness were again to overspread the land, and the fruits be left to contend with the wild condition of things.

The only improved American Gooseberries which have come under my observation, are the following:

1st. The "Houghton Seedling"

This strongly resembles the wild type, but is more productive, somewhat larger, and better flavored than those found growing wild, retaining the vigor and hardiness of the original.

2d. The "Mountain"

This is very different from the first, and offers peculiarities of merit quite distinct and interesting. The plant grows tall, and very large, abundantly productive of fruit varying from large to quite small upon the same branch; with a tough skin, wild flora, and disposed to hang long upon the bush. Both this and the Houghton, are red in color.

Smith's Improved Gooseberry.

3d. The "Smith's Improved"

This variety presents the habit of growth, slender branches, and moderately rapid growth of the Houghton, with much larger fruit, of a pale yellow or greenish yellow color, and excellent flavor, thin skin, and excellent table and cooking qualities. More vigor of growth in this sort would be desirable; its disposition to be a very heavy crop of fruit being prominent.

I am inclined to think pruning and liberal culture will suit this variety, and with these, I do not see how it can fail to please. The accompanying cut was correctly drawn from a well grown plant in full fruit.

4th. The "Downing"

This sort grows more in the style of some of the foreign varieties, but with much greater rapidity and vigor of root and branch. It has stout heavy wood, very thorny, and with an abundant rich foliage, which, in our grounds resisted all disease, and held on with remarkable persistence, until severe freezing removes it. This heavy foliage proves of value to the fruit, not only in the certainty of maturity, but by shielding it from sun scalding, which sometimes injures other sorts.

I cannot say that I have found the fruit of "Downing " any great improvement in flavor over the "Houghton;" but it is twice as large, and the pale green color is preferable, as most of the gooseberry crop is now used for various cooking and canning purposes: it will, I think, be found that its increased size, remarkable vigor and productiveness, good color and certain crop, will place it among the real acquisition's in this fruit.

I look upon these new sorts as additions of real merit in themselves; and a strong assurance that from their progeny, we may reasonably expect soon to see a list of gooseberries possessing all the good qualities of the foreign sorts; with the added recommendation, that they are perfectly adapted by nature to our climate. When we have these improved sorts, we shall find an extensive use, and enlarged market for the fruit now so little valued.

Careful observation of the result of crop-breeding by artificial fertilization in plants, shows that in every case a really new individual appears, in fact a new creation from the hand of the Divine architect, whose thought and power to produce infinite and pleasing variety out of seemingly common material appears; and every time we rely upon Him to give us useful results for our care and labor, he is pleased to respond; slowly perhaps, but really; there being no limit to his resources, there will be no end to the variety, the beauty, the interest, and the improvement which we may reasonably expect. Changes from old forms are sometimes slow, and family traits hard to eradicate, but they will appear in due time if we are wise, patient, and industrious in pursuing our work.

When a man takes tools in hand, and attempts to work a plant up to his idea of what it should be, he may partially or wholly succeed in illustrating a human thought, as men do who prune, train, and hedge; but when he goes to the seed form, and carefully develops by culture, and by giving favorable conditions to the individuals, which the Creator has designed, he may fairly expect to see developments of beauty and value, as much beyond man's work, as God's thoughts are beyond and above our thoughts.

Rochester, N. Y.

The New American Gooseberry 'Downing.'