THE FIG. 261 



Soil. It succeeds in any good rich, warm garden soil, 

 suitable for other fruit trees. In very light or dry soils 

 the fruits fall before maturity, as they require at that 

 season in particular a large amount of moisture ; but it is 

 better that it be too dry than too moist, for in the latter 

 case nothing but soft unripe and unfruitful shoots is 

 obtained, whilst in the former moisture can be supplied at 

 the time when it may be required. The wood should be 

 short-jointed, the buds not more than one-fourth of an 

 inch apart. In England dry chalky soils produce the 

 finest crops. 



Pruning. The fig is somewhat peculiar in its mode of 

 bearing. No blossoms appear, but the figs are produced 

 on the stem, appearing at first like buds. The young 

 shoots of last season bear fruit the next; and the shoots 

 produced during first growth produce fruit the same 

 season, and this is called the " second crop." These never 

 ripen, and should never be encouraged where the plants 

 require protection. In warm climates, as in some of our 

 Southern States, these two crops ripen perfectly, though 

 the first from the previous season's wood is larger and 

 better. 



This mode of bearing shows that little pruning is neces- 

 sary, beyond the cutting away of old or worn out branches, 

 and thinning and regulating others. Unfruitful trees, in 

 a moist and rich ground, should be pinched in summer to 

 check their growth, and concentrate the sap more in the 

 lateral buds. Root Pruning, too, may be applied as on 

 other trees. Mr. Downing recommends this in his Fruit 

 and Fruit Trees. 



Training. -Wherever the trees are hardy enough to 

 withstand the winter without protection, they may be 

 .grown in the form of low standards, as recommended for 

 the peach ; but when protection is required, where the 

 branches have to be laid down and covered during winter, 



