Festuca 



( 344 ) 



Fig 



Principal Species : 



communis,6' to 12',Je.,yel. tingitana, 8', Je. , yel. 



glaiioa, 6', Je., yel. Scarcely so hardy as 



candelabrum. the foregoing in some 



Other Species :- districts ' 



Axii.rtida, 7', Jy.. yel. Narthex,8',Jy.,grn., yel. 

 caspica, 4', Je., yel. (/. Narthex Asa- 



Ferulago, 8', Je., yel. foetida). 



gigantea, 10', Je., yel. orientalis, 3', Jy., yel. 



jffischkeana, Jy., yel., wh. sulcata, a', Jy. , yel. 



(// fetidissima). Sumbul, 9', Jy., yei. (XI/H. 

 Linkii, 0', Jy., yel. Euryungiuin Surnbul). 



FESTUCA. 



This genus (ord. Grarninese) owes its value to 

 the inclusion of ovina and duriuscula, both of 

 which are pasture Grasses of excellent quality. 

 They find a place in every mixture of Grass seeds 

 for permanent pasture. 



FEVERFEW (see CHRYSANTHEMUM [syn. 

 PYRETHRUM] I'AUTHENIUM). 



FEVILLEA. 



Evergreen stove climbers (ord. Cucurbitaceas) 

 that grow luxuriantly. Propagation, by summer 

 cuttings beneath a bell-glass over bottom heat 



Principal Species : 

 cordifolia, reddish. Moorei, reddish. 



FICUS (see also FIG). 



A very large genus (urd. Urticacea?). In habit the 

 plants show a wonderful diversity. Ficus elastica, 

 the Indiarubber Plant, needs no recommendation, 

 anil its variegated form is deserving of increased 

 popularity. For clothing back walls in greenhouses, 

 there is hardly anything better than the clinging 

 and climbing repens (correctly pumila, syn. stipu- 

 lata), which is also useful for covering rock- 

 work. The newer radicans variegata is a beautiful 

 drooping plant eminently suitable for basket 

 culture in the stove. Though not a particularly 

 shapely plant, Parcelli, with its showy varie- 

 gated leafage (sec page 343), makes a fine stove 

 specimen if carefully treated. Peat, loam, and 

 sand form a suitable compost. Firm potting 

 must be insisted upon. Propagation, by layers 

 or cuttings. The latter may be of firm growths, 

 allowing the cut ends to dry somewhat before 

 insertion, or, as in the case of elastica, of 

 one joint with leaf attached ; a close, moist case 

 and bottom heat are essential to success. The 

 last-named species adapts itself to the process 

 known as " ringing" when tall and bare stemmed ; 

 this consists in making a ring just below the 

 lowest leaves and tying damp moss to the part 

 80 treated until roots are formed, when the head 

 is removed and potted. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 bengaleusis^BaiiyanTree. pumila, small Ivs., gm. 



Carica (nee Fig). 

 elastica, gm. Ivs. 

 - variegata, variegated 



ITS. 

 erecta SieboMii, dark grn. 



Ivs. and yel., red fruits. 

 Parcelli, pale grn. Ivs. 



variegated with grn. 



and creamy wh. (set 1 a. 



843.) 



creeper, nearly hdy. 



(*i/*. repens and stipu- 



lata). 

 minima, tiny leafage 



and close growth (*>/i/. 



repens minima), 

 radicans variegata, silvory 



variegation on small Ivs. 

 repeus (r pumila). 

 stipulata (SIT pumila) . 



t'eeernort (gee Truateum). 

 Ficnria (see Ranunculus). 

 Fiddle Wood (see Citharexylum). 



Other Species : 



altissima, 12'. 

 Beujamina, 12'. 

 capensis, 4'. 

 heterophylla, 20'. 

 iufectoria, 18'. 

 macrocarpa, 24'. 



macrophylla, 20'. Aus- 

 tralian Banyan. 



religiosa. Pepul Tree. 



Iloxburghii, '!'>'. 



Sycamorus, 10' (xiftt. Sy- 

 camorus Antiquorum). 



FIELDIA. 



A climbing greenhouse plant (ord, Gesneraoese) 

 that succeeds in peat, loam, and sand, and is 

 readily propagated by cuttings of firm side growths, 

 placed over gentle bottom heat. Australis, (!', 

 July, white, climbs by means of its stem roots 

 like the Ivy. 



FIG. 



Description. A prominent member of the genus 

 Ficus, interesting as to its history, and highly 

 esteemed for its delicious fruit. 



Propagation. This maybe effected from seeds, 

 layers, buds, grafts, and cuttings, the last named 

 being, perhaps, the best for general purposes. 

 Pieces of ripe wood, each having two buds, inserted 

 in January or February in gentle heat, root very 

 freely. If the plants are to be grown in pots, the 

 cuttings must be potted singly as soon as they are 

 well rooted. If only a few plants are required, 

 cuttings of ripe one year old wood, with a heel, 

 having all the buds removed from the portion that 

 is to be inserted within the soil, are the best. 

 Cuttings should in all cases be taken when the 

 plants are at rest. 



Soil. Figs will flourish in any fertile soil con- 

 taining lime, but it must always be made firm, as 

 looseness tends towards gross, luxuriant growth 

 that is never fruitful. The Fig likes moisture, but 

 not stagnation, and the drainage should therefore 

 be perfect. An ideal soil is calcareous loam, con- 

 taining flints, and on a chalk subsoil. 



Other Cultural Points. Planting should be done 

 when the leaves turn yellow in autumn. The Fig 

 produces two and sometimes three crops in a 

 season, and the pruning must be done with this 

 fact always in mind. The first crop is on the 

 previous year's wood, and the second and third in 

 the leaf axils of the current season's growth. 

 Pruning, therefore, should be limited to keeping 

 the trees within proper space. Prune away all 

 superfluous wood after the fruit is harvested, and 

 the cuts will quickly heal over. Summer pruning 

 consists in the removal of those shoots which shade 

 their neighbours, as perfect maturation of all parts 

 is essential to fruit development. Koot pruning 

 must be resorted to where growth is made at the 

 expense of fruit. (For particulars, see PRUNING.) 

 Root restriction is essential. Top-dressing is very 

 advantageous to fruitful trees, and watering is 

 necessary in dry weather to assist swelling. 



A Selection of Varieties: 



A'arieties of Figs are numerous, and for a 

 collection several must be grown. If one is 

 required, Brown Turkey is unquestionably the most 

 reliable and the easiest to manage. For excellence 

 of quality Grizzly Bourjasotte can scarcely be 

 excelled. 



For Outdoors: 



Angelique, Brown Turkey, White Marseilles. 

 for forcing : 



Brown Turkey. St. John's (very early), White 

 Marseilles, Negro Largo, Nebian (late). 



