THE FIG. 201 



absolutely necessary, yet they start more freely into 

 growth, the young fruit is less likely to drop off, and it 

 swells better with bottom-heat than without. A house 

 or pit in which figs can be thus early forced, may be, 

 and generally is, used for other purposes besides. In 

 some cases early strawberries are forced along with them 

 on shelves on the back wall near the glass ; in others, 

 a pot-vine is fruited on each rafter ; and in others, all 

 these three fruits are forced in the same house. But 

 there is no doubt that where circumstances admit of all 

 these having compartments to themselves, they can be 

 forced with less trouble and more success. 



TEMPEEATUEE, WATERING, ETC. 



In early forcing of every description, a lean-to light 

 house, with a good command of both top and bottom 

 heat, is best for figs. If oak-leaves can easily be got, it 

 does not matter much whether the bottom-heat is wholly 

 derived from a bed of leaves of considerable depth, say 

 85 to 4 feet, or from a lesser quantity of them in 

 conjunction with hot water circulating below them. 

 So long as a bottom-heat of about 75° can be maintained, 

 it does not matter much which system is pursued. 



Supposing that a set of pot-plants are at command 

 in a well-ripened and fruitful state, and that ripe figs 

 are required by the end of April, by the 1st of January 

 they should be plunged to the rim in the leaves. If 

 there has been any red-spider on them the previous year, 

 let the shoots be well washed with a soft brush and 

 water, and then painted with a little sulphur, soot, and 

 clay, well mixed together in water. Eemove any loose 

 son that may be on the surface of the balls, and replace 



