CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 469 



the following year will bear fruit. Suckers produce fruit equally as well 

 as shoots that originate from the branches, and therefore must not be 

 destroyed. At the annual winter pruning remove the old wood to 

 make room for the new, and by thus cutting the older shoots back to 

 a point where a younger one originates the bush is kept full of good 

 bearing wood. 



Pests. Some of our small birds, bullfinches especially, delight in 

 picking out the buds from Gooseberry and Currant bushes in spring, 

 and if not destroyed or driven away soon inflict serious damage. 

 Caterpillars appear during early summer, and feed upon the leaves. 

 Undoubtedly the most effective plan, although it occupies consider- 

 able time, is to pick off the pests by hand. It is an excellent plan to 

 scatter lime amongst the branches of the bushes after rain, so that it 

 adheres closely, and also spread some over the ground. When this 

 is carried out occasionally throughout spring and summer caterpillars 

 are seldom troublesome. Some caterpillars injure the interior of a 

 shoot of a currant bush, and decay results. If such happens the 

 shoot should be cut off and destroyed. Black-fly also attacks the 

 ends of the young growths; to kill this dip the latter in a strong 

 solution of soft soap and warm water. For treatment of Black 

 Currant mite see p. 493. 



Figs. Amateurs do not pay sufficient attention to this wholesome 

 fruit, for when forced it will give two splendid crops. 



Pot Figs. This is a most interesting way of growing Figs, as they 

 fruit very freely and need little forcing. Propagation is not advisable 

 for amateurs to practise. Those who have no trees or convenience 

 for raising them should purchase from a good source small trees in 

 6-inch or 7 -inch pots; they are not costly, and ready for forcing at 

 once. With regard to forcing, so much depends upon when the fruits 

 are required. For May the plants should be started in January 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 sus- 

 tenance, 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. 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; Violette Sepor, a reddish fruit of good quality; the White 

 Marseilles ; and Osborn's Prolific. Most of these give two crops, but 



