286 



FIG, 



The Fig tree may be propagated from seed, cuttings, 

 layers, suckers, roots, and by grafting ; the most generally 

 approved method is by layers or cuttings, which come into 

 bearing the second, and sometimes the first year. No tree 

 is more robust or more prolific ; even plants in pots or tubs 

 kept in a temperature adapted for the Orange tree, will fruit 

 freely, and ripen two crops a year, and by being taken care 

 of through the Winter, will go on growing and ripening fruit 

 wliitliout intermission. Mr. Knight has obtained from his 

 hot-house in England, eight successive crops in a year, by 

 bending the limbs in a position below the horizontal. The 

 trees will produce tolerable crops in the second year if rung 

 or decorticated ; and by this process maturity of the fruit 

 is accelerated, and its size increased. Its maturity is also 

 hastened by pricking the fruit with a straw or quill dipped in 

 olive oil, or even by slightly touching the fruit with oil, at 

 the finger's end. In Fig countries the fruit is preserved by 

 dipping it in scalding lye, made of the ashes of the fig tree 

 and then dried in the Sun. 



When Figs are cultivated in a garden, a good loamy soil 

 should be provided ; and they may be trained to close fences, 

 or trellises, in sheltered situations. At the approach of 

 Winter they must be protected ; those trained to close fences 

 may be secured through the Winter, by a covering of 

 matting ; and such as may be in open situations should be 

 liberated from the trellis, and laid down close to the ground, 

 and covered three or four inches with earth ; or trenches may 

 be formed of that depth, sufficient to contain the branches, 

 which should be fastened down wiih hooked pegs, without 

 cramping them : such of the strong central branches as will 

 not bend, may be enveloped in litter. They should be 

 pruned before they are laid down in November, and on 

 being raised again in April, they may be trained as before. 

 Figs may be cultivated in private gardens as easily as, 

 the vine. 



