11 



The best season for the propagation of the fig by cuttings is through 

 the months of February and March, the cuttings at this time being 

 taken off while the trees are quite dormant. Great care must be taken 

 that no cuttings be cut after the sap is in motion, because the milky 

 juice which is produced so abundantly prevents the rooting of the cut- 

 tings. This, however, has no reference to young shoots in summer, 

 which, towards autumn, when the wood is ripening, root very readily. 

 The best cuttings are from stubby, short-jointed, well- ripened wood; 

 they grow the most readily. One-year old wood is generally the best 

 age for cuttings, although two and three-year old wood also does remark- 

 ably well, though no eyes may be visible. The long, spindling, badly 

 ripened shoots, like water-sprouts, suckers, and such as are produced 

 where the wood is crowded, are very difficult to make grow, and those 

 that do grow require age to become thrifty trees. 



PRUNING. 



Pruning should be performed as soon after the fall of the leaves as 

 possible, in whatever situation the trees may be. When trees are 

 pruned at that season, they being then dormant, no injury is sustained; 

 while if the operation is delayed until late in the spring, when the sap 

 is again in motion, and there being such a volume flowing, the shoots 

 are apt to die after being cut. The success of the fruit crop greatly 

 depends upon the method of pruning. 



It has often been claimed that the fig tree never bears when once 

 pruned; this is, to a certain extent, correct, but the real cause is entirely 

 owing to the immaturity of the wood, caused by pruning, which fails to 

 produce fruit, or to the fruits being produced and failing to ripen. If 

 the fruit-bearing shoots are cut back the first crop of fruit is destroyed. 



Fig trees having non-bearing shoots can be pruned without any loss 

 of fruit. If a fig tree is pruned to any extent, there will be a loss of the 

 crop; however, such operation at times must be performed to keep the 

 trees well balanced and within form, although this only affects the crop 

 of one season. After the tree has been properly balanced and shaped, 

 whether high or low, then pruning can be effected the following year 

 with a certainty of a crop the same season; in such case the shoots 

 must not be cut, excepting just a few here and there to keep the tree 

 well balanced. 



All such shoots which bear only wood buds should be cut back, and, 

 if necessary, cut out entirely, as they only take away nutritious sap 

 which should flow into the fruit and into fruit-bearing wood. Branches 

 of almost any age or size can be cut off from any part of the tree, and 

 young shoots will be produced quite freely, but the cuts or wounds 

 should always be covered with grafting wax or rubber paint, which helps 

 them to heal over and protects the stock from the action of the atmos- 

 phere. If too many shoots are thus produced, they can be reduced 

 when young to the required number. 



FORMATION OF THE TREE. 



The proper formation of the tree next presents itself for consideration, 

 with a view to the simple production of fruit. The formation of the 

 tree requires the exercise of knowledge and understanding. All fruit 



