328 CALIFORNIA FRUITS I HOW TO GROW THEM 



Another method is to make slightly outward and downward cuts 

 into the stub with a sharp knife, so as not to cause a split, but rather 

 deep, clean cuts, into which the wedge-shaped scions are firmly pushed 

 and a cord wound around the stub to hold all strongly in place before 

 waxing thoroughly. This form of grafting will be shown in the chap- 

 ter on the walnut, for it is very successfully used on that tree also. 



The form of side-graft with a saw cut as described in the chapter 

 on the peach is also available. A form of bud-graft, that is, budding 

 with a large shield into old bark, is also successful. Judge Rhodes of 

 San Jose describes his method, both with the olive and the fig, in this 

 way: 



Select a scion of the proper size, never be smaller than an ordinary 

 lead pencil. As a rule scions from two-year-old wood, with very little 

 pith and with a diameter of about J^ inch, will give the best results. 

 The scions should have a sloping cut at the lower end, with the bevel 

 all on one side and not like a wedge. The bevel should be as long or 

 a little longer than the V-shaped opening in the stock and should fit 

 snugly into this opening, so that the bark on both edges of the scion 

 touches the bark of the stock. After the scions are placed, wrap tightly 

 with five or six-ply cotton twine, and cover the wounds as well as the 

 stub with liquid grafting wax. Wax the top of the scion to prevent 

 drying out. If waxed cloth is used it must be removed before the 

 warm weather sets in or the bark will be smothered and will die. After 

 the scions have become well united, which takes from two to three 

 months, the strings should be cut. This method of grafting can not be 

 made successfully until the sap begins to flow, say from the latter part 

 of February to the first of April. The scions should never be more 

 than four inches long. 



Seedling Figs. Figs are readily grown from the imported fig 

 of commerce. Dr. Gustav Eisen of San Francisco, our leading writer 

 on the fig, gfives the following explicit directions for growing the fig 

 from seed : 



Cut open imported Smyrna figs; wash out the seeds in warm water, those 

 that float are empty and worthless ; those that sink are generally fertile. Sow 

 these in shallow boxes of sand and loam mixed, and place in a frame under 

 glass. In three weeks they will be up and must be very sparingly watered. Set 

 out next season in nursery row. In three years from the seed such plants wrll 

 be found to bear. 



The tendency of the plants grown from Smyrna figs is to revert to 

 the wild type, and there is a small chance of securing good varieties. 



PLANTING AND PRUNING THE FIG 



The chief point to observe in planting the fig trees is to get them 

 far enough apart, because of the great spread of branches which they 

 attain. Of course they may be planted twenty feet apart if the owner 

 intends to remove alternate rows, but to plant at forty feet, or even 

 farther apart, with other fruit trees or vines between, on the plan of 

 alternate or double squares, described in Chapter X, would be the best 



