MARCH] THE FRUIT GARDEN. 227 



growth, lading them in the earth four or five inches deep, with the 

 tops as erect as possible ; they will be well rooted by next spring, 

 when they should be separated from the old tree and planted either 

 in the nursery or where they are to remain. 



To propagate them by cuttings, make choice of the ripest and 

 most perfect of the last year's snoots, from twelve to fifteen inches 

 in length, cutting them off with an inch or two of the two years old 

 wood at their base, leaving the tops entire and uncut. Plant these 

 cuttings six or eight inches deep, in good soil, and in rows two feet 

 and a half asunder, and a foot distant from one another in the rows ; 

 here they may remain for two years when they will be in a fine con- 

 dition for planting where wanted. 



They may also be propagated by sowing the seed in long narrow 

 boxes the beginning of this month, placing them in a hot-bed to for- 

 ward their growth j and about the middle of May, remove these boxes 

 into the shade where they can have the morning sun till ten o'clock, 

 and the afternoon sun from four ; giving them water when necessary, 

 and protecting them the winter following from frost, either by placing 

 the boxes of plants in the green-house, or in garden frames. When 

 a year old they may be planted out as directed for cuttings, and 

 treated afterwards in the same way. This will be the best method 

 to obtain new kinds ; the seeds of the imported figs will grow freely 

 if properly treated ; they are to be covered when sown only about the 

 eighth of an inch deep. 



Layers or cuttings are preferable to suckers* as they are not so 

 subject to produce suckers from their roots, after being finally planted, 

 as the others. 



Fig-trees may be trained in half or whole standards, and planted 

 detached in sheltered sunny situations, keeping them free from suck- 

 ers, permitting their heads to branch regularly around, and they will 

 produce ripe fruit in good perfection : they produce more and better 

 in a strong dry loamy soil than in a sandy parched one (though in 

 soil they are easily pleased, provided it does not lodge water) ; for 

 when planted in the latter, they are subject to cast their fruit in May 

 and June, which, under such circumstances, in some measure, may 

 be prevented by frequent waterings at that season : where they thrive 

 well, they usually produce two crops in the season ; the first on the 

 former year's wood, and the second on the young shoots of the pre- 

 sent, which is generally the most abundant. 



The following are the varieties of this fruit that are generally con- 

 sidered as best worth cultivating, and are placed in the order of their 

 ripening. 



1. The brown or chestnut colored Ischia fig. The fruit is very 

 large, globular, with a pretty large eye, pinched in near the foot- 

 stalk, of a brown or chestnut color on the outside, and purple within j 

 the grains are large, and the pulp sweet and high flavored. 



2. The black Genoa fig. This is a long fruit, which swells pretty 

 large at the top, the lower part slender ; the skin of a dark purple 

 color, almost black, has a purple farina over it like that on some 

 plums ; the inside is of a bright red, and the flesh is very highly fla- 

 vored. 



