FIGS SITE AND SOIL. 



'77 



Grafting. This may be performed after the stock has broken into leaf. "Whip 

 grafting is best for small, and cleft grafting for large stocks, making the cut in the 

 former neat and short, and running hot wax into the cleft between the scions, 

 binding tightly and covering with grafting wax. Grafting by approach is easily 

 effected, operating when the stock and scions are growing, letting them grow together 

 till the autumn, then severing the connection, and retaining the growths only that are 

 required for bearing. For methods see pages 123, 133 and 135, Vol. I. 



Situation. The fig succeeds in warm southern localities as bushes or standards, 

 where there is but little depth of soil. We have seen trees in Hertfordshire, growing in 

 gravelly loam, on chalk, which have not failed to ripen abundant crops during twenty- 

 seven consecutive years. In all cases of success with standard trees, the soil has been 

 warm, gravelly, or porous, the situation open to the south, but protected by hills, 

 banks, or buildings from the north; and the trees thrive in old chalk-pits open to the sun, 

 where the roots are free from stagnant water. Generally, however, it is only against 

 walls that figs can be cultivated in Britain ; they succeed even in northern districts 

 bordering on the sea, as at Wilton Castle, Yorkshire, and Cullen House, Banffshire, 

 where grand crops of figs are produced on south aspects. A wall facing the south is 

 the best generally, but trees may be occasionally seen fruiting abundantly against 

 the east and west gable ends of houses, with overhanging roofs. But soil influences 

 the fruitfulness of fig trees as well as position, for a tree planted in a paved yard, 

 against a building or in a gravel path, against the south side of a cottage with 

 projecting eaves, will produce quantities of excellent figs, whilst a tree planted in 

 rich deep soil of unlimited extent, against a garden wall, generally produces nothing 

 beyond a luxuriant crop of leaves. 



/SW/. Any kind of soil will not grow good figs. The tree thrives against buildings 

 and in lime rubbish, because of the nitrate of lime, and there is seldom any lack of 

 ammonia, potash, and soda around buildings. The best results are obtained from a 

 calcareous loam, interspersed with flints, resting on chalk, and it must be firm, for 

 in a rich, loose, deep soil the roots run riot, and the growths are exuberant. With 

 a limited rooting area and firmer soil there would be fewer barren fig trees ; yet 

 the fig loves moisture, therefore the soil must not be impervious to rain or water, 

 and the subsoil must be open to let superfluous water filter away. This is important, 

 for stagnant water means fruitless trees. 



Arrangement. It is undesirable to place the trees a great distance apart, as they are 



VOL. II. A A 



