F I C 



F I C 



rcver be shortened, nor should the t^ic shon 

 side and tore right shoots be cut oH", txiept 

 when dccavtd ; as ihty riptn bclltr than the 

 )ons sironi: ones, and are not .-o apt to be dc- 

 slro~vi.d bv^lrosis in tlie winter season. Dy this 

 praciiee, it is contended that the trees will be 

 covered uiih Jruit Iroin the tops to the bnttonis 

 of the wall, Sec. instead of having a few (iuly at 

 the top, as is the case in the coninioir nelhod of 

 nianaoenient. 



In sun-iner, as many shoots are sent off, some 

 of those that are irregular and useless may be 

 rubbed i.fl", and the others trained in for the torm- 

 ine of future bearing wood. I beproi)er|XTiod lor 

 tins is about the beginning of June and in ibe 

 two fvilloiving months. 



After the fruit has attained the size of small 

 juitniegs, the points of the top buds are recom- 

 mended bv Mr. Forsvth to be pinched or cut ofl' 

 with a sharp knile, some of liis powdery material 

 beine immediately applied, to pre\ent the oozing 

 out of the milky juice, and the conse4uenl ex- 

 haustion and injury of the trees. 



In order to prevent the nevessity of cutting the 

 trees down in the above maimer, they should be 

 covered in winter before the approach of frost, 

 M hich would destroy the ends of the shoots be- 

 fore the wood was riiiened and rendered hard. 



Where Fig-trees are greatly injured in the win- 

 ter, the best i^ractice is to cut them down as near 

 the ground as possible, as in the following year, 

 by the above management, they may be got into 

 a 2ood bearing slate. 



The best mode of protectinj these trees is, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Forsyth, to " cover them with 

 ben tings, or short grass, froniihc pleasure-ground, 

 which he finds ans-*ers the purpose very well: 

 after it is thoroughlv drv,it maybe put in a cock, 

 covering it with straw, to prevent the rain from 

 penetrating into it, which would cause it to heat 

 and rot ;" or it may be put into a shed. If grass 

 cannot be procured, some dry moss may be em- 

 ployed. In ptrforuiing the work, " first cover 

 the trees wiiii laurel, \ew, fir, or spruce boughs, 

 and then tuck m the short grass or moss among 

 the branches, beginning at the top of the tree, 

 luckinsr in the grass, Ike. as you descend, till 

 you come to the Ixittom." Fern, when well 

 dried, he savs, makes an excellent covering. 

 The trees mav be thatched on the outside with 

 the long leaves of the common fern ; and where 

 these can be got, there will be no occasicm for 

 short grass. When it can be procured, which 

 it mav in most country places, it will, he says, 

 be found preferable to laurel. 



They " may also be shelttred in winter by 

 wrapping hay or straw bands round the branches 

 of the trees ; and then opening the groiMid, laying 



in the branche*, and covering tiiuni nvir with 

 mould about nine inches deep, leaving the ends 

 of the shoots about three inches out of the 

 ground, and covering the groimd over with 

 some rotten leaves, or old tan, Jicc. to keep 

 out the frost." The roots of the trees mav like- 

 wise he covered in the same manner. XVlure 

 the walls are low, and the borders broad, all the 

 branches may be brought front wavs ; but when 

 they are high, oidv the side branches can be 

 brought forward in the above manner. It is 

 the practice of some to cover with retds and 

 straw ; the latter he does not bv any means ap- 

 prove of, " as it is very apt to harbour rats and 

 •nice, on account of some of the grain bein^i 

 left in it." 



In putting on the grass, care should be taken 

 that no mice, kc. have got amongst it ; ;iiul 

 durins; the winter, it should be seen that no rals 

 or mice get among the branches of the trees 

 that are covered atrainst the walls ; as if thev <l(^ 

 ihev will infallibly bark the branches, and in that 

 case there will be a necessity of heading tlui Itees 

 down . 



These may be destroyed by setting traps iu>ac 

 the roots of the trees, as soon as they are covered.. 

 Sec Traps. 



Great care, he savs, should be taken, " nt,t 

 to uncover the Fig-ticcs loo soon in the spring;, 

 and it should be done jiartially, a« tiierc are fre- 

 quently frosts and culling winds in the months 

 of April and Mav, which will infallibly kill the 

 young fruit as they make their appearance in the 

 spring. 



" Those branches which have Ixjen laid inio 

 the ground should be taken up in the month of 

 April, haA'ing the liay or straw bands taken off", 

 and then nailed to the wall. Some fern-leaves, or 

 any other light covering, may be stuck in among 

 the branches, to protect them irom the drying 

 winds and frosts, till the fruit comes to the size 

 of a large walnut, or rather till the leaves arc 

 sufficicotiv large to protect the fruit." 



It is observed, that " the Italians, when they 

 wish to forward the ripening of Figs, drop in 

 a little sweet oil, I'rom a quill, into the eye of 

 the fruit; but care must be taken not to hurt 

 the skin, which will make the Fig burst. This 

 will make a dilTcrence at least of a fortnight in 

 the ripening." 



It is also recomnunded, " as soon as the 

 leaves begin to tall, to brush them ofl' with a 

 broom, but by no means till thev will come oflT 

 easily. If thev are forced ofl' before thev begin 

 to wither and decay, the trees will bleed at the 

 foot-stalks. At the same time the stalks should 

 be cleared of allthe small late fruit, which, if suf- 

 fered to remain during the winter, will rot, and 



