FIGS IN INDIA. 747 



Soil and subsoil The soil is calcareous loam, the subsoil, at a depth 

 of about 2 feet marl (a mixture of lime and clay), overlying disinte- 

 grated trap. 



Temperature. Average, about 75 ; minimum, 48 ; maximum, 95. 

 The village is shut in on the northeast and west by hills, which keep 

 out hot winds. 



Rain-fall is about 50 inches annually, falling chiefly from June till 

 October. The setting in of rain makes the trees ripen the young 

 growth that was made during April and May in the hottest and driest 

 season, and determines the ripening of fruit. 



Irrigation. Irrigation is effected from wells, about 25 feet in depth, 

 by a leathern bucket drawn up by oxen at a cost of 10 pies (say 2.5 

 cents) per 1,000 gallons. Two inches of water on the surface of the 

 orchard, per month, from the end of October till the fruit is ripe ; the 

 low quantity of water given keeps the fruit sweet. One inch of water 

 is given twice monthly. 



Cultivation. Cultivation consists of plowing or hoeing once yearly 

 after the fruit is gathered. 



Fertilizers. Fifty pounds per tree of well decayed village sweepings 

 is applied at the end of the dry season, in May, after the crop is gathered. 



Pruning. After the young tree has been made to send up five to 

 seven shoots from near the base by stopping the first strong shoots 

 sent out by the cutting, little, if any, real pruning is given. Weakly 

 decayed or broken branches are cut out to the base, and such as have 

 gone too high for a man's hand to reach are stopped, and if branches 

 are plentiful, cut out when all the fruit is gathered from them; but the 

 less pruning that is necessary the better. In a few instances the trees 

 are grown as standards ; a straight stem is led up about 6 feet, and from 

 the top of this branches are encouraged to spread horizontally. 



Picking. The picking is done when the fruit is full grown and shows 

 a slight yellowing at the stalk. Early in the morning is preferred be- 

 cause fruit picked at that time and kept in shade retains a delicious 

 coolness. For local use each fig is wrapped in a leaf when it has 

 attained this stage to protect it from birds and left on the tree a week 

 longer. This improves the quality greatly but prohibits carriage to a 

 distance. No boxing or curing is done in India. The skin of the variety 

 grown is much too delicate and I have not been successful with Euro- 

 pean varieties. 



Planting and propagation. Propagation is effected by cuttings of one 

 year old wood planted in a moist, shady place during February. The 

 trees are set out 10 to 12 feet apart. 



Size of orchards. The orchards are 2 to 3 acres in extent only, because 

 the position on the slope of a hill does not afford larger spaces suf- 

 licu'iitly level, and a well rarely waters more. 



Maturity. The trees attain fifteen years and are fruitful about twelve 

 years. 



