THE PEACTICE OF PRUNING. 



381 



The Fig-teee. 



The accompanying figure represents a shoot of fhe 

 last summer's growth; on which a, a, a, a, a, are fniit- 

 huds ; I, b, wood-huds ; c, c, c, c, e, c, scars where the leaf- 

 stalks had detached themselves at the fall of the leaf. 

 It thus appears that the fmit-buds of the Fig-tree are 

 formed on the young shoots, in the axils of the leaves. 

 Sometimes it happens that leaves are not accompanied 

 with fruit-buds ; but they are frequently formed in the 

 axU of every leaf, from the base of the shoot to its apex. 

 In a congenial climate, fruit-buds thus progressively 

 formed, result in a succession of ripe fruit. But in oui 

 climate, although young Figs are produced in great 

 abundance, they rarely acquire maturity in the same 

 season in which they originate, unless assisted by 

 artificial heat. Shoots may be seen plentifully fur- 

 nished with green Fig's, some of the latter attaining a 

 considerable size before autumn, but seldom ripening 

 even at that period ; and then the temperature begins 

 to decline below that which is necessary for carrying 

 on the active vegetation of the plant ; the leaves drop ; 

 the fruits still hold on ; but they wither even if pro- 

 tected firom frost. Such being the case, those fruit- 

 buds which may be expected to yield mature fruit in 

 the open air, are not to be looked for on the lower part 

 of the shoots where the fruit-buds have become de- 

 veloped. It is towards the extremity of the shoots, 

 where fruit-buds are yet in embryo, compact and sessile, 

 like those represented by a, a, a, a, a, that we have to 

 look for a crop. Such buds retain their vitality till 

 the following spring, if they are not killed by frost, or 

 cut oflf by a badly-directed pruning-knife. The mode 

 of bearing wHL thus be readily understood, and the 

 necessity of protecting the extremities of the shoots of 

 Figs from frost. 



""Whenever," says Mr. Knight, "a branch of this 

 tree appears to be extending with too much luxuriance, 

 its point, at the tenth or twelfth leaf, is pressed 

 between the finger and thumb, without letting the 

 nails come in contact with the bark, till the soft succu- 

 lent substance is felt to yield to the pressure. Such 

 branch, in consequence, ceases subsequently to elon- 

 gate ; and the sap is repulsed, to be expended where it 

 is more wanted. A fruit ripens at the base of each leaf. 



^\l 



Pig. LXXIV.— Shoot of 

 a Fig-tree. 



