August 30, 1913 



HORTICULTUKE 



301 



GROWING FIGS AT EXPRESS RATE 



These fig trees here illustrated 

 chosen at random from a batch of 

 fifty plants in ten-inch pots, repre- 

 sent what is possible in the line of 

 rapid development from the cutting 

 to the mature fruiting plant. 



Photograph A is a plant of Xegro 

 Largo (this variety while not such 

 a rampant grower as some of the 

 other kinds is perhaps the most sat- 

 isfactory of all for pot culture and 

 of the finest flavor). In photo- 

 graph B the center plant is the 

 variety Brown Turkey, while the 

 two outside ones are Xegro Largo. 

 The Brown Turkey plant is four 

 feet and si.x inches high (pot in- 

 cluded ) and has been twice pinched, 

 while jilant A is three feet sLx inches 

 high and carries some two dozen 

 fruits in various stages of develop- 

 ment. This batch of fifty plants 

 have been grown in a little under 

 eight months (December to Julyl 

 from cuttings of ripeiUMl wood from 

 foiii- to six inches long, rooted in 

 sand with a l)(jttom heat of about 8(1 

 degrees and top heat of about 60 



degrees. In three to four weeks roots one to two 

 inches long had developed and they were potted into 

 3-inch pots and plunged in the same sand and with the 

 same bottom heat as had been used for rooting. From 

 January to April the plants were forced along by keep- 

 ing hot bed sash over them on the greenhouse bench 

 and by maintaining the bottom-heat at from 75 to 80 

 degrees. By May 1st they were in six-inch pots and from 

 that date op have been fed a varied diet of chemicals 

 and organic manure. Phosphate of potash, one ounce 

 dissolved in a gallon of water was administered for a 

 period of three to four weeks to promote fruitfulness 

 while nitrate of soda and weak doses of liquid cow ma- 

 nure were used to i>romote growth. Icthemic guano 

 was another portion of their diet. Constant and careful 

 feeding coupled with a steady temperature of about 

 seventy degrees at night and all the air possible in the 

 day without lowering the temperature sums up all the 

 IToints of growing good sized fruiting figs in eight 

 months from cuttings. 



J.pno.r. Mass. 



^J^^Ic^^cJ:^ 



The annual report of the Public Parks Board of Win- 

 nipeg. Canada, for 1912 is an attractive volume of 96 

 pages. Suiierintendent Champion gives interesting de- 

 tails of the work of the year, which show that a high 

 standard of ])ark maintenance is being followed. 



