THE FIG 



55 



command, and the other is by growing them in pots or in tubs. The latter 

 system is described on page 66. The fig tree is a strong grower, and will 

 succeed in any form of house as long as there is room for expansion, but a 

 lean-to structure with a long and high pitched roof, or a span-roofed house, 

 suits it best. I would limit the width of the border for the first year to 2 feet. 

 As is well known, it is almost impossible to ripen properly very strong growth, 

 therefore the grower should guard against conditions that in any way favour 

 this. If the house is a good-sized lean-to, I would suggest that it be planted 

 with three trees — one in the middle and one at each end. One tree will soon 

 fill the house, but if two varieties are wanted I would plant Brown Turkey and 

 White Marseilles at either end, and another Brown Turkey in the middle, this 

 to be taken out as soon as the end trees reach the middle. The border must be 



Branch Showing Winter Pruning 



(d) Extremity shoots having borne fruit are cut away ; («) successional shoots for future 

 bearing; (/) points where useless wood has been cut out in favour of promising 

 shoots, the object being to keep the tree well furnished, but not crowded with bearing 

 wood, only attainable by securing successional growths. 



added to little by little every year, but the fact must always be borne in mind 

 that rather a restricted root area is best for the fig. I do not know any fruit 

 tree which forms surface roots in greater abundance in so short a time than the 

 fig, so after the fruit is gathered top-dress with deer manure and loam in equal 

 proportions. In selecting the trees for planting care must be taken to choose 

 those only which have a clear stem of at least 2 feet from the ground. This 

 is in order not to be troubled with suckers from the base, to which the fig is 

 very subject. When these appear they should be rigorously cut away close to 

 the roots. 



Training. — There are two ways of training the fig when planted out. 

 One is to allow it to cover the whole trellis (which should be 2 feet from the 

 glass), and the other is by confining the growths to single cordons under the 

 rafters, with side shoots, in the same manner as vines are grown, only that the 

 shoots are tied rather more closely to the rafters. This system of training answers 

 well, admitting as it does a certain amount of light and sun heat among the 



