THE FIG-HOUSE. 337 
moderate temperature. Air is admitted freely till the 
flowers begin to expand, when great caution becomes neces- 
sary. When the fruit is setting, the temperature is kept 
as steadily as possible at 50°; after it is set, abundance of 
water is applied to the roots and foliage of the trees. When 
the fruit is coloring, water is almost entirely withheld, and 
air freely admitted. During the whole process of forcing 
cherries, any excessive heat from the sun’s rays must be 
carefully guarded against by shading or by admitting of 
air. The kind of cherry usually preferred for forcing is 
the common May-duke, A cherry-house ought to form a 
part of every large garden establishment; for nothing 
more signally distinguishes the tables of the opulent, in 
March and April, than ripe cherries appearing along with 
strawberries in the dessert at that season of the year. 
The Fic-Hovuse soarcely differs in form and manage- 
ment from the Cherry-house, the trees being trained to a 
back trellis; with the addition, however, of dwarf standard 
trees in front. ‘The second crop is often the most produc- 
tive. In 1810, we are told, the royal tables were supplied 
with more than 200 baskets of figs, 50 of which were from 
the first crop, and 150 from the second. It is seldom, 
however, that a separate house is erected for this fruit. 
The fig succeeds very well as a dwarf standard between the 
front flues of a vinery, provided the roof be not too closely 
covered with the foliage of the vines. Of late, small 
standard figs have very commonly been grown in large 
pots, fourteen or fifteen inches in diameter, and placed in 
any of the forcing-houses. In this way considerable crops 
of fruit have been-raised. The Figue blanche and the 
Marseilles are the sorts considered best adapted for forcing. 
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