GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



or early in February, and they like a mild temperature. When a little 

 warmth at the roots in the way of bottom heat can be given so much 

 the better, 50 degrees at night and 5 degrees to 10 degrees higher by 

 day being sufficient. This in two months may be increased, the fruits 

 thinned, and feeding commence. All shoots should be stopped at the 

 fourth or fifth leaf from the base, as that is the bearing wood for the 

 next crop. Unless they are stopped the shoots rob the fruits of susten- 

 ance, with the result that they turn yellow and drop ; this is one of 

 the most important points in Fig culture. After stopping the new 

 wood commences to form embryo fruits in the axils of the leaves, and 

 these begin to swell at the same time as the plants are finishing their 

 first crop. All kinds do not bear two crops, one of the best in this 

 respect being the Brown Turkey, but the earliest variety is the St. 



KB 



BLACK CURRANT SHOOT 

 Fruit is on previous season's growth. Current year's wood is dark portion. 



John a white Fig, and the best for pot culture ; it rarely casts its 

 fruit. St. John's has a white flesh and green skin, and crops heavily. 

 There are other good kinds, such as Pingo de Niel, a white fruit ; 

 Yiolette Sepor, a reddish fruit of good quality ; the White Marseilles ; 

 and Osborn's Prolific. Most of these give two crops, but for slow 

 forcing or late use select Negro Largo. Nubian is excellent, but only 

 gives one fine crop and must not be forced hard. For July, August, 

 and later supplies little forcing is needed, if given house-room, as 

 the sun heat with early closing will suffice. 



Pot trees when first started need little moisture until in active 

 growth ; also only slight damping overhead in dull weather or early 

 in the season. More moisture is required later, and constant feeding 

 is needful when the pots are small. After forcing, they succeed in the 

 open, plunged to prevent dryness at the root, and any repotting should 

 be carried out when the leaf begins to turn colour. As Fig trees 



