206 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



tobacco. Mealy-bug, when it gets on to fig-trees, is 

 very troublesome. The best way to get rid of it is to 

 scrub the trees with soapy water, and then syringe 

 them with paraffin at the rate of a wine-glassful to a 

 gallon of water, syringing well with clean water a few 

 minutes after. 



The fig is comparatively free from diseases. I have 

 seen trees affected with canker — in one instance the 

 cause was stagnant water about the roots — for want of 

 thorough draining. 



PACKING FIGS. 



To pack ripe figs to go safely to a distance requires 

 great care. Tin boxes divided into compartments, as 

 directed in the case of peaches, are indispensable, if 

 the fruit are to be allowed to ripen and to be carried 

 without mutilation. The compartments, of course, 

 need not be so large as for peaches. Into each put 

 some fine paper-shavings, then a layer of cotton wad- 

 ding, and over the wadding a square of tissue-paper 

 sufficiently large to come up the sides of the compart- 

 ments to the top. Wrap each fruit in a tender dry 

 vine-leaf and lay it in its place, covering it over with 

 another leaf to keep the paper from contact with the 

 fruit. Then double the tissue-paper over all, fiU up 

 with cotton wool, lay a little paper-shavings all over 

 the surface of the box, and screw down as directed in 

 the case of peaches. When figs have to be packed, it 

 is best to gather the fruit before the juice begins to 

 ooze out of them, but not till they rend slightly at 

 the sides. 



