162 WHYTOCK—THE CULTIVATION OF 
temperature by day. When the season advances and less fire- 
heat is required the night temperature may be 60° or 70°. The 
leaves of the fig succumb more quickly than almost any other 
fruit-tree leaves under glass with a dry fire-heat atmosphere to red 
spider. Syringings and the preservation of a very moist atmo- 
sphere must be constantly attended to, and air should be given 
on all possible occasions through the day. I have observed 
that the fig when in full growth requires a great deal of water 
at the root, that is to say, if the soil is of the porous nature it 
should be. As to the pruning and general treatment of old- 
established fig-trees, pruning should be done in winter when 
the trees are dormant and do not bleed. During the summer, 
however, is the time to pinch and regulate the growth. Over- 
crowding of the branches must be guarded against. Lay. in 
young growths, watching to keep the trees well furnished to the 
centre, and to give the young growth full light to ripen. Cut out 
old wood no longer fruitful. Pinching back young growths to 
three leaves. makes fruitful spurs all over the tree. The first 
crop of figs is on the ripened wood of the previous summer, the 
second crop is on the wood which has grown along with the pro- 
duction of the first crop. The,summer-pruning and pinching 
must, therefore, be done with a view to secure both of these. 
Some shoots should be allowed to grow to keep the tree furnished 
and take the place of bare branches worn out, and at the same 
time a considerable portion of the shoots should be bruised at the 
point when about five eyes long. Fig-trees in summer are too apt 
to get overcrowded with growth ; this should be strictly guarded 
against. When the trees ripen and drop their leaves, the borders 
may be kept dry, but not too dry. 
Figs growing in small allotted root-spaces to each tree will be 
benefited by taking out the width of a spade of soil all round the 
outer edge of the space right down to the bottom of the border 
and filling in again with fresh turfy loam mixed with lime-rubbish 
and bone-meal. Removing also the whole of the old surface of 
the border, and putting on bone-meal with a little artificial manure 
and a little fine-chopped turfy loam, will cause a quantity of new 
fibrous roots to develop. By repeating this yearly the trees will 
be kept just vigorous enough to make good short-jointed fruitful 
wood. Give manure-water and plenty of water when fruit is 
swelling, and you will get fruit of good size. 
