THE PIG. 585 



will apply to the apricot. The chief point of difference in the treat- 

 ment required for the two trees is founded on the precocity of the 

 apricot, which exposes the blossom to unusual danger. In conse- 

 quence of the tree blooming so early, its blossoms, particularly in the 

 case of young trees, are extremely liable to drop off in setting. This 

 is not to be wondered at, when it is considered that the ground is fre- 

 quently at the time (March) in as cold a state as at any period of the 

 whole season, neither the sun's heat nor the warm rains having reached 

 so far below the surface as to warm the soil in contact with the roots ; 

 and thus whilst the latter are in a medium perhaps a little above 

 freezing, the tops, exposed to a bright sun against a wall, are at that 

 period of the season occasionally in a temperature as high as 90 or 

 100 Fahr. The injurious effects of this disparity must be sufficiently 

 obvious to every one, and the only remedy to be adopted is to have a 

 very complete drainage below the roots, and the whole soil of the 

 border, not retentive, but of a pervious nature. If it could also be 

 kept perfectly dry previous to the commencement of vegetation, and 

 then only allowed to receive the rain when warm, avoiding the cooling 

 effects of melting snow or hail, the tree would thus be placed under 

 circumstances comparatively more natural. Thatching the border, 

 therefore, for the sake of the roots, and covering the branches with 

 netting, hay ropes, &c., may very properly be adopted with the apricot, 

 in all low, cold, moist situations. Naked stems or branches of apricot- 

 trees trained against a wall are apt to be scorched to death in summer, 

 and hence limbs or whole trees are sometimes lost. In order to pre- 

 vent this, it is advisable to train shoots so as to protect such naked parts 

 from the direct rays of the sun. The fruit should be gathered before 

 it is thoroughly ripe, otherwise it is apt to become mealy. The tree 

 is much less subject to insects than the peach, probably from the 

 more coriaceous nature of its bark and leaves. It is impatient of heat 

 in forcing, but fruits well in pots in cool orchard or peach houses. 



The Fig. 



The fig (Ficus Carica, L.) is a low deciduous tree, a native of Asia 

 and Barbary, in situations near the sea, and naturalized in Italy and 

 the south of Europe, where it has been cultivated since the time of 

 the Romans, as it has been in Greece and Egypt from the earliest ages. 

 In British gardens the fig is chiefly cultivated under glass ; but it 

 will arrive at maturity on the open wall in warm situations, and indeed 

 wherever the grape will ripen. The fruit is of no use, except in a 

 ripe state, when it is much prized for the dessert by many persons, 

 while others prefer the dried figs of commerce. The fig is much cul- 

 tivated in the south of France and Italy, where the varieties are 

 numerous. Among the best of those grown in British gardens are the 

 following : Brown Turkey, Brunswick, Marseilles, Small Brown Ischia, 

 Black Ischia, White Ischia, Brown Prolific, Golden. 



A great many figs have recently been introduced, most of them so 

 recently that we cannot speak of their qualities from experience. 



