THE FIG. 201 



Where a regular succession of ripe figs is required 

 from April to November, I recommend that there be 

 a set of plants in pots, and another planted out, as 

 has been treated of. Those in pots should be started 

 about the new year, to ripen their first crop in April 

 and May, and their second in July and August. 

 Those planted out in borders, if started at the end of 

 February or beginning of March, ripen their first crop 

 in the end of May and June, and their second will be 

 all gathered before the middle of October, thus keep- 

 ing up the supply of ripe figs for at least six months 

 of the year. 



In beginning to force those in pots at, say, the 

 beginning of January, it is very desirable that they 

 be supplied with a gentle bottom-heat. Although 

 this is not absolutely necessary, yet they start more 

 freely into growth, the young fruit is less likely to 

 drop off, and it swells better with bottom-heat than 

 without. A house or pit in which figs can be thus 

 early forced, may be, and generally is, used for other 

 purposes besides. In some cases early strawberries 

 are forced along with them on shelves on the back 

 wall near the glass ; in others, a pot-vine is fruited 

 on each rafter ; and in others, all these three fruits 

 are forced in the same house. But there is no doubt 

 that where circumstances admit of all these having 

 compartments to themselves, they can be forced with 

 less trouble and more success. 



TEMPERATURE, WATERING, ETC. 



In early forcing of every description, a lean-to light 

 house, with a good command of both top and bottom 

 heat, is best for figs. If oak-leaves can easily be got, 



