Cultivation of tJie Fig. 325 



trees which had been well loaded had all fallen off: this he 

 attributed to bad weather. I offered to convince him that it 

 w^as not the case ; and cut a few fruit open, each of which con- 

 tained a maggot. Mr. Andrews felt offended at this, and said 

 that gardeners called there only to ridicule his things, though 

 they knew nothing in the country whence they came, but to 

 drink tea and ale in the servants' hall, and crack jokes with 

 ladies' maids and coachmen. 



These few observations I consider to be of some import- 

 ance to horticulture, whatever opposition they may meet with 

 from your readers. It may, however, be objected that they 

 are not applicable to Scotland or the northern parts of the 

 kingdom ; but this I know, that as fine apples are grown in 

 the cold counties and outskirts of Scotland as are to be met 

 with in any part of England. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Dec. 21. 1830. R. Hiver. 



Art. XXV. On the Cultivation of the Fig. By Mr. W. Pearson. 



Sir, 

 I HAVE observed some notices about fig trees in your Ma- 

 gazine, but very little about their culture or management. 

 Allow me, therefore, to send you a few remarks on the pro- 

 duction of that most salubrious fruit, the fig. I have now 

 had the management of fig trees at this place for upwards of 

 fourteen years, and will venture to say that there are none 

 finer in Scotland. Indeed, I am warranted in saying so by 

 the Secretary of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, who 

 has seen the fruit gain the Society's silver medal twice in the 

 course of four years. The trees are situated against a common 

 wall, with a south-east aspect, the length of wall which the 

 three oldest trees cover is 76 ft. by 14^ ft. high, with a cope 

 which projects 15 in. ; and is set at an angle of 45°, or nearly. 

 The border consists of a deep black rich loam, rather light. 

 The kinds are, the brown and black Ischia; the former I 

 consider the best fig, for it ripens much more easily, grows 

 much larger, and is better flavoured than the black. I have 

 known many of them to weigh from 6 to 7i ounces each. 

 I have seldom known these trees to come short of a good 

 crop, except this year, which I impute to the severe frosts in 

 April and May, and the cold wet summer throughout, which 

 caused the most of the fruit to fall from the trees ; however, 

 those that remained of the brown Ischia have swelled and 

 ripened well. 



Y 3 



