134 GROWING FRUIT AND PRUNING TREES [CH. 



for, and nets thrown over the trees when possible to 

 keep away the birds. When protected in this way 

 the May Duke will last from June to August, Late Duke 

 to the end of September, and Morellos far into October. 



Figs can be satisfactorily grown only in a warm, 

 sheltered situation. As a rule, they thrive best against 

 a wall, in a light garden soil, with an artificial sub-soil 

 of lime rubbish. An occasional root-pruning helps to 

 the formation of short, compact, fruit-bearing stems. 



During the growing season, all superfluous shoots 

 should be cut away, so as to expose the wood to 

 sun and air. 



When the fruit is as large as a cherry, the ends of 

 the shoots may be nipped off. 



It is well in planting Strawberries to see that the 

 collar or neck is only just below the ground, and that the 

 roots are carefully spread out on all sides, leaving 2 feet 

 between each drill,* and the plants 2 feet apart in the 

 drill. When not required for fresh planting, the runners 



* In theory the spaces between the plants should never be dug, 

 only the surface occasionally cleared with the hoe, and well mulched 

 to supply the upper roots with abundance of nutriment. In practice, 

 however, an experienced gardener will find it good to vary the treat- 

 ment. He will carefully dig with the fork between the plants in early 

 spring, remove the earth, fan out the tangled network of roots with his 

 hands wittingly (removing any tap-root from a suspiciously vigorous 

 plant), cover them over with the richest available mulching, replace 

 the soil, and tread it down very firmly. Needless to say such an 

 operation requires very careful handling, and must not, on any account, 

 be intrusted to a novice. 



