THE GOOSEBERRY.—HOW IT PAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1951, 8 January 1885, Page 3

THE GOOSEBERRY. —HOW IT PAYS.

Thk present is pre-eminently whatj^ is known as the "big gooseberry season "—a term with a significance perhaps more literary than horticultmal. When matters political are dull and uninteresting, journali.sts are generally supposed to bo busily engaged in the pursuit of chronicling the abnormal growth of gooseberries, or it may be potatoes or turnips or what-not in the shape of \egetable life, and in a very great measure perhaps this is quite true. The present reference— by way, possibly, of tj change— is not in respect to the abnounal growth of the popular flint above named, but more particularly in respect to its growing utility as an item of remunerative farming. Hitherto the gooseberry hat, been looked upon as a fruit of \pi y little significance, and altogether unworthy of "enoti.s attention at the hands of farmers 01 gardeners. Like many other featuies of farming, it has been greatly under rated,— overlooked, in fact, and until recently very little attention lias been paid to it. But of late it ha.s been discovered that a good class of gooseberry commands a high price in the market, and iti growth in consequence has been more generally regarded. During the present seison Lugo consignments of goose beiries ha\e been foi warded to the Auck land market, and growers find that the return far exceeds that of almost any othei product— proportionately, of course. A few days ago we gave an instance where one man at Kilukihi, from about an acre of garden, only a *mall portion of which was in 'berries, had made nearly £40 out of this season's growth. We could quote .several other instances of an equally encouraging character. One gentleman who has dis covered that there is a great field for 'berry culture is about to plant no less than sixteen acre*. The "berries w ill be tinned and either put "ii the local in uket or e\poited at demand warrants. This looks like the lnaiigui.ition of a new industry, and should encourage f.irmeis to pay more attention to the minor features of farming operations. Many are beginning to find that femall and apparently insignificant thing*, when properly looked after, pay infinitely better than those which at present monopolise attention, and which, past expeiiences con ■idered, afford a very doubtful return.