Narrative
Plants very large, vigorous, upright becoming very spreading, rather dense, productive to very productive, healthy, young shoots medium to slender.Flowers late, small 1-3, green mingled with a slight reddish tinge. Fruit midseason, very small roundish, light silvery green changing at maturity to a rather handsome dull dark red, skin smooth, thin, glaucous, medium in firmness, flesh greenish, moderately juicy, tender, pleasing in flavor, very sweet, quality very good. - SFNY. 1925.R. hirtellum x R. grossulariaAfter Downing, Houghton is the most widely and commonly planted gooseberry in America. However, the variety has several faults and does not deserve its popularity. Faults are: the fruits are very small and uninviting in appearance and taste; the foliage is susceptible to mildew and phids; and canners, to whom gooseberries are mostly sold, do not like the fruit. Good characters are : the plants are very hardy, vigorous, and productive; the variety thrives under a great diversity of conditions; the berries are rich, sweet, and of excellent quality. This is the oldest American gooseberry of note, having originated with Able Houghton, Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1833. It is probably a hybrid between a European and an American Gooseberry. Plants medium in size, spreading, very vigorous, very productive; canes rather slender, drooping. Leaves large, dark green glabrous or nearly so; margin crenate, hairy. Flowers midseason, American Type, Fruit midseason; very small, round-oval, dark red with light bloom; skin thin, smooth, flesh firm, juicy, sweet and rich; quality very good; seeds small, numerous. Hedrick, U.P. 1922. Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits. The Macmillan Company, NY. p. 301.----------