352 VILLA GARDENING PAKT iv 



of the month. When the young Figs push out, and the leaves 

 burst forth, the temperatui-e at night shouhl be raised to 55°, to 

 be followed about the time the fruits show flower by a rise to 60°. 

 The inllorescence of the Fig, unlike all other fruits, is witliin the 

 fruit itself, and takes place when it is about half grown. Dming 

 the time the flowering is in' operation a drier atmosphere shoidd be 

 maintained, and if dull weather sets in a little more fire should be 

 used to permit of more air being given. It may easily be known 

 when the flowering of the Fig takes place, as the eye of the fruit 

 expands and exposes it to view. 



Stopping the Young Wood. — I have said that there were 

 two or three specially important matters in connection with Fig 

 culture under glass. The first which I laid stress upon — "Never 

 lose touch of the roots " — may in a sense be applica1)le to all fruit 

 culture. The second — "Stopping the young wood" — is perhaps 

 in its thoroughness applicable to the Fig only, as no other fruit 

 tree will bear a crop on the wood of the same year. The Fig, like 

 most other trees under the cultivator's hand, always starts more 

 shoots in spring than it needs, and the weakest of these should be 

 rubbed off as soon as it can be seen which it is necessary to leave. 

 When the young shoots left to produce the late crop have made five 

 leaves, take the terminal bud of the shoot between the finger and 

 thumb and press it sufficiently to bruise and so far destroy the 

 tissues as to stop all circulation. This course of treatment should 

 be adopted with every shoot on the tree. The shoots of Fig trees 

 bleed a good deal when cut, and the object of nipping the buds, 

 instead of cutting or pinching them oft", is to prevent loss from 

 bleeding. Pinching the young wood after a fair development has 

 been permitted tends to fill the trees full of young stubby shoots, 

 which will bear freely. All laterals should be pinched back to 

 one leaf, and no extension permitted beyond. The leaders, if the 

 trellis is not furnished, may be allowed to extend; but the 

 branches must be trained thinly, for the Fig tree carries a large 

 breadth of foliage, and exposure of the wood is necessary to fertility. 

 In the early stages of growth a moist atmosphere should be main- 

 tained by the free use of the syringe morning and afternoon, and 

 this should be kept up till the period of flowering begins, when a 

 drier state is necessary. Afterwards the syringe should be 

 resumed till the fruit begins to ripen, when it must be discontinued. 

 The borders, both inside and out, should be mulched with manure, 

 and liquid manure given when help is needed. In October, when 

 all the fruits are gathered, throw open all the lights, and leave 

 them so night and day to complete the ripening of the wood and 

 brinrr down the leaves. 



