Chap. XXII.] 



FIG CULTURE NEAR PARIS. 



375 



steep slopes of railway embankments. Henceforward the young 

 shoots growing from the stock are carefully cut off; otherwise 

 they would weaken the larger branches. These 

 precautions are taken during the fifth year. 



In the spring of the sixth year the oldest 

 branches are of the form shown in our illustration. 

 The operation of nipping-off the buds at the end 

 of each branch is performed as soon as the un- 

 covered trees begin to show signs of springing 

 into leaf; that is to say, on some fine day the 

 bud on the end of each lateral shoot is pinched oif 

 so as to favour the formation of buds on the wood 

 lower down, as well as for the encouragement of 

 any young Figs that already show signs of making 

 their appearance. About one-half of the buds 

 on the side-branches are also pinched off, choosing 

 those that are nearest to the young Figs. Two, 

 however, are always left on near the base of each 

 branch, and one towards the tip, in order to 

 draw up the sap. The end-shoot of each branch 

 is treated in a similar manner, but with this 

 difference, that the bud immediately below the 

 one at the end is allowed to remain on, as well as one or two 

 more for the purpose of producing side-branches, which ought to 

 be left about a foot from each other on 

 each stem. As soon as the young shoots 

 are about two inches long, the shoots on all 

 the lateral branches and on the end-branch 

 are nipped off— a fine day being chosen for 

 the purpose. Of the former only a single 

 shoot — the one nearest the base of the 

 branch — is allowed to remain so as to re- 

 place the one which bears the fruit of the 

 year. The shoot at the end of the terminal 

 branch is allowed to remain, and some of 

 the lateral ones intended to bear fruit 

 in the following year. These last are 

 spaced out so that they may receive an equal amount of sunshine 

 without being interwoven or rubbing their leaves against the 



2 c 2 



Stem of Fig the sixth 

 year after planti?ig. 

 The points of the 

 shoots A, At A, A, 

 are pinched off in 

 Spring to favour the 

 development of the 

 Pigs, and also of 

 •wood-buds at the base 

 of the shoots. 



Fig-branch -with young Figs. 

 The lateral side b%ids A, B, B, 

 B, are pinched 171 Spring, — two 

 at tite base, D, D, and one at 

 the apex, C, being left. 



