290 THE FIG. 



panimeuts of friiitfulncss in this tree ; and there is no means by 

 which firm, well ripened, short-jointed wood is so easily obtain- 

 ed as by an annual pruning of the roots — cutting off all that 

 project more than half the length of the branches. In this way 

 the fig tree may be kept in that rich and somewhat strong soil 

 necessary to enable it to hold its fruit, and ripen it of the largest 

 size, without that coarseness of growth which usually happens 

 in such soil, and but too frequently renders the tree barren. 

 The mode of performing root-pruning wc have already described, 

 but we may add here that the operation should be performed on 

 the fig early in November. AVhen this mode is adopted but 

 little pruning will be necessary, beyond that of keeping the 

 plant in a somewhat low and regular shape, shortening-in the 

 branches occasionally, and taking out old and decaying wood. 



In winter, the branches of the fig must be bent down to the 

 ground, and fastened w^ith hooked pegs, and covered with three 

 or four inches of soil, as in protecting the foreign grape. This 

 covering should be removed as soon as the spring is well set- 

 tled. Below riiiladelphia, a covering of straw, or branches of 

 evergreens, is sufficient — and south of Virginia the fig is easy 

 of culture as a hardy standard tree. 



Two crops are usually produced in a year by this tree ; the 

 first which ripens here in midsummer, and is borne on the pre- 

 \aous season's shoots ; and the second which is yielded by the 

 young shoots of this sunnner, and which rarely ripens well in 

 the middle states. It is, therefore, a highly advantageous prac- 

 tice to rub off all the young figs of this second crop after mid- 

 summer, as soon as they are formed. The consequence of this 

 is to retain all the organizable matter in the tree ; and to form 

 new embryo figs where these are rubbed off, which then ripen 

 the next season as the first crop. 



Ripening the Fruit. In an unfavourable soil or climate, 

 the ripening of the fig is undoubtedly rendered more certain 

 aud speedy by touching the eye of the fruit with a little oil. 

 This is very commonly practised in many districts of France. 

 " At Argenteuil," says Loudon, " the maturity of the latest figs 

 is hastened by putting a single drop of oil into the eye of each 

 fruit. This is done by a woman who has a phial of oil suspended 

 from her waist, and a piece of hollow rye straw in her hand. 

 This she dips into the oil, and afterwards into the eye of the 



We have ourselves frequently tried the experiment of touching 

 the end of the fig with the finger dipped in oil, and have always 

 found the fruits so treated to ripen much more certainly and 

 speedily, and swell to a larger size than those left untouched. 



There are forty-two varieties enumerated in the last edition 

 of the London Horticultural Society's Catalogue. Few of these 

 have, however, been introduced into this country, and a very 



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