754 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Black (Bourgassotte noir), very good fresh figs ; Niello noir, the ear- 

 liest eatiug figs. 



Colored (Figue latte), excellent fresh and dry; Observantine, very 

 numerous flowers ; Bellone, excellent fresh or dry. 



Situation. The fig tree is abundant in Corsica, particularly on the 

 littoral, especially on well-exposed hill-sides, on the rocks at the foot 

 of the mountains close to the sea, on dry ground. The roots being 

 very long, it is cultivated in deep, calcareous soil. It grows from the 

 sea-level to 800 meters of altitude. The trees grown in the plains and 

 shoals produce figs which dry and have not the requisite flavor and 

 whiteness. Although the fig-tree grows on dry soil, often in the fissures 

 of rocks and walls, it yields the most abundant and best flavored fruit 

 when cultivated on good light soil. It is affected by dampness, but yet 

 requires watering in very hot weather. 



Cultivation. The fig-tree does not require much attention ; the ground 

 has only to be dug once or twice a year and the fig-tree thrives. If 

 planted in a warm locality it assumes a goodly shape. 



Climate. It prefers a warm climate, especially in the vicinity of olive- 

 trees. Where the thermometer does not fall below 12 Centigrade it 

 produces leaves and fruit continuously. It does not prosper without 

 manure from farm-houses. It is multiplied by cuttings. Small branches 

 of 2 centimeters broad by 20 centimeters long are the best. 



Planting and propagating. The slips are put entirely under ground, 

 except the terminal bud. The ground should be dug to a depth of at 

 least 45 centimeters, and the trees should be about 6 meters distant 

 from each other. Figs ripen at two seasons, at the end of spring and 

 beginning of summer, and in the autumn for the second figs. The 

 second is the most important. 



Picking and curing. The gathering is long, because they ripen suc- 

 cessively. They wait till the figs are perfectly ripe, and even over- 

 ripe. Those gathered unripe mature by keeping, but have not the 

 flavor of those matured on the tree. Perfect ripeness is indicated by 

 their being soft, the cracking and falling away of the rind, and by a 

 liquid in the center. The day and hour are important if the figs are to 

 be dried. The dew must have disappeared and the weather must be dry. 

 After being gathered they are taken into the house and placed on 

 planks or on hurdles, exposed to the greatest heat of the sun, and in a 

 sheltered place, and at night in a well-aired place. The form and pres- 

 ervation of the fig depends on the promptitude of the operation of 

 drying. The figs have to be turned over and flattened frequently. 



Sometimes during the operation of drying rain comes on. The dry- 

 ing then becomes difficult and almost impossible except by means of 

 the artificial heat of furnaces, which, however managed, injures the 

 quality of the figs and lessens the market value by a third. 



Yield. A fig ground of a hectare, containing 2G7 fig-trees, twenty- 

 years old, will yield (at the rate of 12.5 kilograms each, 3,214 



