402 



I'lG CULTURE IN THE 



Fie. 218. 



same manner but with this difference, that the bud imme- 

 diately below the one at the end is allowed 

 to remain on, as well as one or two more 

 for the purpose of producing side branches, 

 which ought to be left about a foot from 

 each other on each stem. As soon as the 

 young shoots attain the length of about 

 two inches, the shoots on all the lateral 

 branches and on the end branch are nipped 

 off— a fine day being chosen for the purpose. 

 Of the former only a single shoot — the 

 one nearest the base of the branch — is 

 allowed to remain so as to replace the one 

 which bears the fruit of the year. The 

 shoot at the end of the terminal branch is 

 allowed to remain, and some of the lateral 

 ones intended to bear fruit in the follow- 

 ing year. These last are spaced out so 

 that they may receive an equal amount of 

 sunshine without being interwoven or rub- 

 bing their leaves against the fruit. As 

 soon as the proper number of branches 

 that each stool ought to bear is reached, 



all new shoots growing on the parent stem are nipped off. 

 Although the figswhich make their 



appearance during the current year 



ripen with difficulty, a certain number 



may be grown in favourable years. 



To hasten their ripening you must 



proceed in the following manner. 



Those branches which appear to be 



most prolific are allowed to retain 



two shoots at their base instead of 



only one. The one nearest the base 



is intended to produce the young figs 



for the following year, the other the Kg branch with young Figs. 



, n -r ^ r The lateral side buds, 



autumn figs. In order to force a, B, B, B, are pinched in 



these latter into rapid growth the spring,— two at the base, 



-, j, , n , , . , . , D, D, and one at the apex, 



end oi the snoot must be nipped c, being left. 



Stem of Fig the sixth 

 year after planting. 

 The points of the 

 shoots A, A, A, A, 

 are pincbed off in 

 spring to favour the 

 development of the 

 Figs, and also of 

 wood-buds at the 

 base of the shoots. 



Fig. 219. 



