760 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



PART III. 



In common with the melon, it is presented after soup ; and the person who cuts a fig, 

 holds it by the small end, takes a thin circular slice off the large end, and then peels 

 down the thick skin of the fruit in flakes, making a single bonne bouche of the soft interior 

 part. All the species of the genus Ficus have more or less the quality of intenerating 

 animal fibre, like the pawpaw- tree (Carica pajxiiu); the F. elasticus in the greatest de- 

 gree, and next, the common fig. The milky sap may be used as rennet, and for 

 destroying warts. Philips says, " a gentleman who lately made the experiment, assured 

 me that a haunch of venison, which had lately been killed, was hung up in a fig-tree 

 when the leaves were on, at about ten o'clock in the evening, and was removed before 

 sunrise in the morning, when it was found in a perfect state for cooking, and he adds, 

 that in a few hours more, it would have been in a state of putrefaction." (Pom. Brit. 

 169. ) Burying in the soil for ten or twelve hours is a well known and effectual resource 

 for intenerating recently killed fowls, or tough butcher-meat. 



4842. Varieties. These, in fig-countries, are almost as numerous as those of the 

 grape ; new sorts being readily procured from seed, and continued by cuttings, layers, 

 or grafting. Bosc says, that even in France new sorts are continually produced, and 

 as quickly falling into neglect. The varieties most esteemed in England are the fol- 

 lowing : those marked thus (*) will ripen as standards under favorable circumstances. 



skin brown ; the flesh a lighter brown, 

 coarse, and has but little flavor. It 

 ripens about the middle of Septem- 

 ber. 



Common blue or purple fig. (Duham. 

 n.2. tab. 2. f.l). This is a large oblong 

 fruit, ripens in August, and is a good 

 bearer. 



Long brown Naples fig.' The skin of 

 this fruit is of a dark brown when 

 ripe ; the flesh inclining to red. It has 

 large grains and a good flavor, and 

 ripens" about the beginning of Oc- 



Small brown ischia fig. Thr= is a 

 small pyramidal fruit ; the skin of a 

 light brown; the flesh of a purple 

 cast, and of a high flavor. It ripens 

 in October. 



Yellow ischia fig. This is a large 

 fruit; the skin yellow; and the flesh 

 purple and well flavored. It ripens in 



Gen tile fie. This is of a middle size; 

 roundish fruit ; the skin yellow ; and 

 the flesh inclining to the same color. 

 It has large grains, and a good flavor . 

 ripens very late ; and the trees are but 

 indifferent bearers. 



4843. According to Forsyth, the figs proper for a small garden are the 



Large white Genoa | Early white | Murrey fig j Small brown ischia | Black ischia. 



4844. Sawyer recommends for a regular succession of figs from August to October, 

 inclusive, the 



Brown ischia, Large white Genoa, I Marseilles, Black Province, Yellow I the order in which they are here 

 Green ischia, Brown Naples, White ischia, and Gentile ; which ripen in | placed, from the middle of . 



placed, from the middle 

 the end of October. 



August to 



4845. Propagation. Figs may be propagated from seed, cuttings, layers, suckers, 

 roots, and by ingrafting ; the most generally approved method is by layers or cuttings, 

 which come into bearing the second, and even the first year. 



4846. By seed. Here the same process as that directed for raising seedling vines is to be followed, with 

 this difference, that the young plants should not be cut down on account of their mode of bearing. They 

 will produce fruit in the sixth or seventh year. The process of crossing to obtain new varieties can here 

 be performed only in the general way, of placing two or more sorts together ; or of introducing with a 

 small hair pencil the pollen from the father variety, to take effect in conjunction with that of the male 

 blossoms in the plant destined to bear seed. Possibly, however, some curious horticulturist may find a 

 mode of cutting out the male blossoms without destroying the females ; in which case the pollen from the 

 father variety may be introduced to take effect alone. Lee, of Hammersmith, has raised several new 

 sorts from seed. 



4847. By cuttings. These are formed of young wood from eight inches to twelve inches in length, with 

 an inch or two ot old wood attached. They should be taken from the most fruitful, well ripened, short- 

 jointed boughs in autumn, and either preserved from the frost till spring, or planted in pots or in a bed of 

 earth from six to nine inches deep, without cutting off their tops. The soil should be a loam inclining 

 to sand, and in a warm situation ; it should be covered with old bark, leaves, or ashes, to keep out the 

 frost in spring, and the drought in summer. If the cuttings have been planted in autumn, then their tops 

 will require the additional protection of haulm or litter during winter. Give water and keep clear of 

 weeds during summer, and by the following autumn, the plants will be fit to be transplanted into nursery 

 rows ; where they must be again mulched at root, and protected at top. They require no pruning farther 

 than what may be required to rear them with a single stem, and keep their heads of a regular shape ; 

 the second or third year they may be removed to where they are finally to remain. Cuttings of roots 

 readily make plants, but the process is too slow for general use, and the plants so produced are not likely 

 to come so soon into bearing as by the layers or cuttings. 



4848. By layers. This is the quickest mode of getting bearing trees, as shoots of two or three years' 

 growth, if laid down, will make abundant roots the first summer, and admit of being taken off and placed 

 where they are finally to remain in the autumn. Miller says, " voung shoots or suckers produced from 

 old stools should never be taken, as they are too soft and spongy, liable to be affected by frost, and not 

 likely to prove good bearers." 



4849. By suckers. This is an easy, but a bad method, for a common reason, that all trees raised from 

 suckers are subject to send out great quantities of suckers again from their roots, which branches are 

 never compact and fruitful, because too luxurious to be ripened in our climate. Miller says, " this 

 vicious habit, contracted while the trees are young, may be afterwards corrected." 



