168 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
intermediate crop, except during the first year ortwo. If 40 to 50 feet 
is adopted as the distance, intermediate crops may be grown for many 
years, until the trees are 10 to12 years old. In places where the land 
is very valuable intermediate crops are desirable, otherwise the greater 
distance is to be recommended at once. The trees or cuttings should 
be entirely fresh; if not, they should be soaked up in water until they 
show fresh sap when cut. Generally only one tree is set in each hole, 
but we have in another place recommended that two trees or two cut- 
tings be planted in the same hole, 6 or more inches apart, in order 
to prevent splitting of limbs or trunk. If cuttings are set, they should 
be at once covered with soil in such a manner that the upper surface 
of the cutting is just below the soil surface, the soil thus forming a 
small hill around the cutting, which need not be more than 6 inches 
above the general level of the ground. If trees are set, they should at 
once be cut back to within a foot of the ground and then covered with 
soil in the same manner. If the trees are left higher, they should be 
covered entirely with flag, tule, or straw matting, in order to be pro- 
tected from sun, wind, or drought generally. If irrigation is prac- 
ticed, the trees should be irrigated at once, except in case of heavy rain. 
The next step is to watch the young trees or cuttings and see that 
they do not dry out. This watching should be done every three or 
four days. Uncover the soil and cut the bark; if sap exudes the cut- 
ting is all right; if no sap comes out, irrigation is needed atonece. In 
case of trees which show dry tops, these latter should be at once and 
without hesitation cut back to flowing sap. A pair of shears are just 
as useful as aknife. With a certain knack in handling the shears the 
bark is not sufficiently bruised to injure the tree. 
After the trees have started and sent out shoots several inches long 
it is time to take away the soil raised around the tree or cutting. It 
is not a good idea to cover the cutting with straw or manure, as it con- 
tains seeds which will germinate. It is hardly necessary to state that 
at no time should there be anything growing within 4 feet of the 
young plant. <A space of 6 feet is preferable on each side of the tree. 
The number of times the fig should be irrigated varies according to 
locality and season. ‘The only guide is to observe the terminal bud. If 
this bud shows a stoppage in growth it is a sign that the tree needs 
water. After September no more growth is desirable. After heavy 
irrigations the land should be cultivated, and in no instance should it 
be allowed to bake around the tree. The weeds in the orchard are 
kept down either with two-horse cultivators or with underground cut 
drags. The latter consist simply of a drag or cultivator, furnished 
with a long horizontal knife several inches wide. This knife runs a 
few inches below the soil surface and cuts the roots of all weeds in 
the most effective manner. . 
As a rule no pruning is required during the first year or two; the 
trees are allowed to branch from the very ground. Trees that are 
raised to a standard of 3 or 4 feet, as is generally the rule, even in 
