PLANTING A FIG ORCHARD. 155 
DISTANCES FOR CAPRIFIGS. 
The caprifig should always be planted closer than the edible figs. 
Ten or twelve feet apart each way is suitable, or the trees may be 
planted in the form of hedges around the main fig orchard. Tle most 
economical: way is to crowd the caprifig trees into waste and otherwise 
worthless places where no plowing is required or need be done. The 
caprifig should be grown ‘‘ wild.” It should never be pruned, and had 
best be grown as a ‘“‘thicket.” The caprifig wasps require shade. 
CARE OF FIG TREES BEFORE PLANTING. 
Perhaps none of the operations pertaining to the planting of a fig 
orchard is of so much importance as the handling and care of the fig 
trees before they are set. A fig tree after it is dug up and before it is 
reset is more tender than almost any other kind of fruit tree, except 
the olive and the citrus trees. Asa general thing it must be borne in 
mind that when once the roots of a fig tree have become injured by 
drying or sweating they had better be cut off and the remainder of 
the tree treated as a cutting. <A cutting will always grow better than 
a fig tree with injured roots. The planter should therefore satisfy 
himself when he buys trees that these have had the proper care, and 
that they have not been exposed to sun and wind for more than five 
minutes. This can be prevented easily by covering the fig trees in the 
field with sacking or blankets, which should be kept wet or damp. 
As soon as the trees have been received from the nursery they should 
be heeled in, and care should be taken that the soil is moist, as dry 
soil will quickly kill the trees. It is always advisable to heel in the 
trees close to a ditch, or close to water, and if a ditch or reservoir is 
handy the tree bundles should be immersed before the ropes are cut 
and the bundles opened. The trees can profitably rest in the water 
overnight if necessary. In heeling in all ropes should be cut and the 
trees spread in the trench in such a way that the soil thrown in will 
surround all the roots, not leaving passages for the wind, or perhaps 
sun, to enter and dry thetrees. Even if the intention is to plant in a 
few days this mode of heeéling in should be followed. Heeled-in trees 
should be watered and the soil kept firm. If planting is delayed and 
the trees have become somewhat dry, which can best be ascertained 
by examining the end buds, the trees should be at once taken out, 
immersed in water for six or twelve hours, and heeled in very slanting 
and deep and covered with soil to near the tops; but care should be 
taken not to cover the tops entirely, as this may cause the trees to 
rot and will prevent examination of the buds. 
If fig trees show signs of starting they may be kept back by expos- 
ing to the wind for a few minutes in the shade and again heeled in. 
This operation, if performed properly, is not dangerous and is quite 
effective, but it should not be done exeept in emergency, as the trees 
will of course suffer to some extent. 
