371 



THE PAEKS AND GAEDENS OF EAEIS. [Chap. XXII. 



fruit. As soon as the j^roper number of branches that each stool 

 ought to bear is reached, all new shoots growing on the parent- 

 stem are nipped off. 



Although the Figs which make their appearance during the 

 current year ripen with difficulty, a certain number may be grown 

 in favourable years. Their ripening is hastened in the following 

 manner. Those branches which appear to be most prolific are 

 allowed to retain two shoots at their base instead of only one. 

 The one nearest the base is intended to produce the young Figs 

 for the following year, the other the 

 autumn Figs. In order to force these 

 latter into rapid growth the end of the 

 shoot must be nipped off as soon as it 

 has reached a length of four or five 

 inches. As the process of forcing autumn 

 Figs to ripen makes the trees weaker and 

 less able to produce the buds, or " Fig- 

 flowers," for the next year, only those 

 which are strong and vigorous should be 

 chosen for the j)urpose. 



Should the late frosts destroy the 

 crop of Figs, which may take place before 

 the middle of May, summer-pruning 

 must be resorted to, that is to say, each 

 lateral branch is pruned back to near 

 the stem. This operation causes the sap 

 to flow to the old wood and produce a 

 large crop of shoots. This circumstance 

 is taken advantage of to fill up empty spaces, of course taking care 

 to leave only those shoots growing that are really useful. The 

 shoots are thinned out according to the method already described. 

 Towards the end of August a dry day is chosen for cleaning the 

 figgery. The portions of the shoots which have borne fruit are 

 cut oJ&", and useless shoots are taken away just above the lowest 

 eye. If this eye should develop in the succeeding year, it is 

 disbudded in its turn. Withered branches are also removed quite 

 close to the stem, care being taken to cover the wounds with 

 grafting-wax. Some growers leave this operation until the 

 spring of the following year, but prunings made at that time 



Branch of Fig-lrcc after the gather- 

 ing of the crop. Should the year 

 be nnusitally -warm, some of the 

 lower Figs may ripen ; if not, they 

 are removed. The slioot that has 

 borne Figs is cnt at B. 



