A'o/rs and Gleanings. 



53 



to form new fruit branches the following year. The shoots are spaced out, so 

 that they may receive an equal amount of sunshine, and not injure the fruit liy 

 rubbing. When the proper number of branches is obtained, all new shoots are 

 removed. 



After the crop is gathered, the fruiting branches present the appearances 

 shown in fig. 6, B, and 7, B, the former representing the aspect of the brancii 

 wlien only the first crop is taken, the latter its appearance if the shoots have 

 been retained for autumn figs. This should only be done with the more vigorous 

 trees, as the autumn crop weakens the growth, and, moreover, checks the pro- 

 duction of the early fruit the following season. When, however, it is done, two 

 shoots are allowed to grow, as shown in fig. 7, the one (c) corresponding with c 

 in fii-. 6, the other (d) being that which bears the late fruit. In order to force 



Fig. 6. 



Fig. 7. 



the latter to progress more rapidly, the tip of the shoot is pinched out when it 

 has attained a length of about five inches. Towards the end of August, a dry 

 day is chosen for clearing the trees. The shoots that have borne fruit are cut 

 off as indicated in the figures, and useless shoots are taken away just above the 

 lowest eye, which, if it should develop the succeeding year, is disbudded in its 

 turn. The wounds caused by pruning are covered with grafting wax. Simi- 

 lar treatment is adopted in succeeding j-ears, the trees, of course, increasing 

 in size. 



The annual earthing-up induces a horizontal direction ot growth at about a 

 foot or eighteen inches from the ground, which is advantageous to the trees, as 

 in this position they are not only warmer, but the sap is more equally distributed. 

 The trees begin to bear at six years old, are in full perfection at ten years, and 

 last a long time ; but the old stems wear out in from twelve to fifteen years, and 

 require renewal, for which purpose a sufficient number of shoots to replace those 

 to be cut away are retained at the time of disbudding. The soil is dug up 

 annually in spring, and manured every three years. The trees are also well 

 v.Uered several times during the summer. M., in Florist and Poino'.ogist. 



