RED OR BROWN FIGS. 209 



vious season's shoots ; and the second which is yielded by the 

 young shoots of this summer, and which rarely ripens well in 

 the middle states. It is, therefore, a highly advantageous prac- 

 tice to rub off all the young figs of this second crop after mid- 

 summer, as soon as they are formed. The consequence of this 

 is to retain all the organizable matter in the tree ; and to form 

 new embryo figs where these are rubbed off, which then ripen 

 the next season as the first crop. 



RIPENING THE FRUIT. In an unfavourable soil or climate, the 

 ripening of the fig is undoubtedly rendered more certain and 

 speedy by touching the eye of the fruit with a little oil. This 

 is very commonly practised in many districts of France. "At 

 Argenteuil," says Loudon, " the maturity of the latest figs is 

 hastened by putting a single drop of oil into the eye of each 

 fruit. This is done by a woman who has a phial of oil sus- 

 pended from her waist, and a piece of hollow rye straw in her 

 hand. This she dips into the oil, and afterwards into the eye 

 of the fig." 



We have ourselves frequently tried the experiment of touch- 

 ing the end of the fig with the finger dipped in oil, and have 

 always found the fruits so treated to ripen much more certainly 

 and speedily, and swell to a larger size than those left un- 

 touched. 



There are forty-two varieties enumerated in the last edition 

 of the London Horticultural Society's Catalogue. Few of these 

 have, however, been introduced into this country, and a verj 

 few sorts will comprise all that is most desirable and excellent 

 in this fruit. The following selection .includes those most suit- 

 able for our soil and climate. Fruit nearly all ripen in August. 



Class I. Red, Brown, or Purple. 



1. BRUNSWICK. Thomp. land. P. Mag. 



Madonna. 



Hanover. 



Brown Hamburgh. 



Black Naples. 



Clementine. 



Bayswater- 



Red. 



ac. to 

 Thomp. 



One of the largest and finest purple figs, well adapted for 

 hardy culture. Fruit of the largest size, pyriform in shape, 

 with an oblique apex. Eye considerably sunk. Stalk short, 

 and thick, of a fine violet brown in the sun, dotted with small 

 pale brown specks, and, on the shaded side, pale greenish yel- 

 low. Flesh reddish brown, slightly pink near the centre, and 



18* 



