14 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Tig continued. 



ground. Good drainage is essential, and chalk is one 

 of the best things to use where it can be procured. An 

 open warm position should be selected, as this, and root 

 restriction, are important points towards encouraging 

 the production of short- jointed, fruit-bearing wood. The 

 climate of this country will not admit of more than one 

 crop being ripened each year outside, and this is by no 

 means a certain one in the majority of instances. During 

 severe weather, the stem and branches require pro- 

 tection. This is afforded in various ways, some unnail- 

 ing and collecting the latter in bundles, and covering 

 with a thick coat of straw or mats. Spruce branches, 

 fern, thatched hurdles, and canvas, may all be made to 

 answer the same purpose. Neither is necessary, as a 

 rule, along the South Coast, and should not be applied in 

 other places, unless in severe weather, and then they 

 should be removed gradually in spring. 



Mode of Bearing, Pruning, Sfc. The fruits are pro- 

 duced, one or two together, in the axils of the leaves. 

 They are formed along the branch, as growth proceeds, 

 and, with but few exceptions, come to maturity, if at 

 all, on new or recently ripened wood. It will thus be 

 understood that the points of the shoots must, as much 

 as possible, be protected from frost, and preserved when 

 pruning. Growth seldom begins outside before May ; 

 the embryo Figs on the wood of the previous year, and 

 new shoots for the next year, starting almost simul- 

 taneously. Fruits will also be formed along the latter, 

 and these constitute the second crop, that ripens in some 

 parts of the South of Europe, but in this country the 

 summers are too short. Any fruits that are sufficiently 

 advanced in early autumn to show the shape of the 

 Fig, are of no use; and if these are carefully pinched 

 off, other later ones may be formed by the side, that 

 remain dormant with those produced nearer the points, 

 as before explained, until the tree starts the following 

 year. Pruning is not much required, except to keep 

 the branches thinned ; and a good deal of this, also 

 pinching of the strongest shoots, should be seen to in 

 summer, so as to leave only those required for fruiting. 

 Too much pruning frequently results in the increase of 

 soft, unproductive wood, especially if the roots are in 

 anything like rich soil. New shoots should be en- 

 couraged from parts near the stem, where they are 

 required to replace any that become bare or exceed 

 their limits. Either the horizontal or the fan system 

 of training is that usually adopted as being best suited 

 for trees having to be grown on walls, or as espaliers. 

 Suckers proceed in large quantities from the roots of 

 permanent trees ; these are sometimes trained about 

 15in. apart, and in course of time allowed to fruit. 

 This plan is not to be recommended, as better wood 

 may be obtained from healthy branches. 



Forcing. The Fig will bear, and at all times requires, 

 a higher temperature to start it into growth than any 

 other fruit-trees usually forced. In gardens where a 

 house is not specially devoted to their culture, some plants 

 may be successfully fruited in pots, and frequently good 

 crops are thus obtained. The supply may also be continued 

 for a much longer period from these, by introducing a few 

 at a time for forcing, and securing a crop from the wood 

 of the previous year. A lean-to house admits of trees 

 being grown both on a trellis in front, and on the back 

 wall, the front trees being stopped so as to admit sun and 

 light to those at the back. The roots of strong-growing 

 varieties should be restricted by being pruned or inclosed 

 with a narrow wall, as recommended for outside culture. 

 The border is best made of loamy soil with a little crushed 

 bone and mortar or charred rubbish added, this soil being 

 also better suited for pot culture than one with more 

 manure. When any repotting is required, it should be 

 done when the plants are at rest ; and if already in large 

 pots, the soil and roots may bo reduced, and the plants 



Fig continued. 



returned to a similar size. A night temperature of SOdeg., 

 and a rise by day, in mild weather, to 60deg. or 65deg., 

 with plenty of moisture, will not be too high for starting ; 

 and as soon as the leaves are growing, and the days get 

 longer, these figures may gradually be raised lOdeg. 

 higher. Large quantities of water are necessary in summer, 

 and it should not be applied at a lower temperature than 

 that of the soil in which the roots are growing. Plenty of 

 syringing with warm water should also be practised until 

 the fruit commences ripening, when a drier atmosphere 

 tends to heighten the flavour. Under glass, the Fig ripens 

 two crops if the trees are started early, the first being on 

 the wood of the previous season, and the second on that 

 of the current year. The new shoots should be pinched 

 when about 9in. long, to arrest the progress of the 

 sap, and encourage the formation and production of fruit 

 from the axils of the young leaves. Disbudding may be 

 practised with great advantage, as a large number of 

 shoots are formed that cannot be allowed sufficient space 

 to develop. Figs forced in pots should be plunged, if 

 possible, in tan or in a bed of fermenting material, with a 

 bottom-heat temperature of about 65deg. Liquid manure, 

 when the fruits are swelling, may be applied to these 

 twice or thrice a week, unless the plants are growing too 

 strongly without. As the fruit and leaves ripen, more 

 air should be given and water gradually withheld. When 

 the leaves are all dropped from trees, either planted out 

 or in pots, they must be kept quite cool, and the soil 

 only a little moist by occasional waterings, until required 

 to start for the next season. 



Sorts. Varieties cultivated in countries where Figs are 

 grown in quantities outside, are very numerous, but com- 

 paratively few of them have been introduced to onr 

 gardens. The following selection includes most of the 

 best, and is, practically, large enough for all purposes. 

 NEGRO LARGO and OSBORN'S PROLIFIC are good varieties 

 for culture in large pots. The former must be rather 

 severely restricted in space, if planted out, on account 

 of its vigorous growth. BROWN TURKEY is, perhaps, 

 the best of all for forcing, as it seldom fails to fruit 

 abundantly under proper cultivation, and does not grow 

 too strongly, even when the roots are not in a limited 

 space ; it is also one of the best for outside culture 

 where Figs succeed. BRUNSWICK and WHITE MAR- 

 SEILLES are two of the hardiest varieties in cultivation. 

 Agen. Fruit of medium size, roundish, with flattened crown ; 



skin green, covered with blue bloom ; flesh dark red, thick and 



syrupy. Ripens late. 



FIG. 15. FIGS, BLACK BOURJASSOTTE. 



Black Bourjassotte. Fruit medium, with short stalk ; skin 

 black, covered with a thick bloom ; flesh deep red, thick and 

 delicious. See Fig. 15. 



Black Genoa. Fruit oblong, large ; skin dark purple, with thick 

 bloom ; flesh yellow, sweet and juicy. A hardy sort, said to be 

 much grown in Provence. 



Black Ischia, or Early Forcing. Fruit medium, roundish- 

 obovate ; skin nearly black when ripe ; flesh deep red, richly 

 flavoured. Early and prolific. 



Brown Turkey. Fruit large, short, pear-shaped, with a thick 

 stalk ; skin brown, with sometimes a purplish tinge ; flesh tinged 

 red in the middle, rich and sugary. One of the best sorts grown 

 either for forcing or outside culture. It has numerous synonyms, 

 including Blue Burgundy, Brown Naples, Common Purple, Italian, 

 Large Blue, Lee's Perpetual, Purple, &c. 



Brunswick. Fruit pear-shaped, very large, with short thick 

 stalk ; skin greenish-yellow, tinged with brown ; flesh reddish near 

 the middle, yellowish outside, rich and sweet. A distinct variety, 



