THE FIG UNDER GLASS. 



231 



good sandy loam, with a liberal admixture of gritty 

 lime-rubble, will make a compost quite rich enough 

 for this, and all future shifts, so long as the plants 

 are kept in pots. See that the balls are properly 

 moistened before they are shifted ; pot them firmly, 

 place a stick to each leader, and return them to the 

 pit, where they may be partially pressed into the 

 plunging bed for the benefit of a little latent warmth 

 that will stimulate root -action. These, together 

 with the plants raised from eyes, will now come 

 under the same treatment, 

 which will include liberal 

 syringing every fine morn- 

 ing and afternoon ; mode- 

 rate, but not excessive, 

 watering until the roots 

 have again taken hold of 

 the fresh soil; a gradual 

 increase of air to insure a 

 short- jointed growth, and 

 early closing, in time for 

 the pit to run up to 85° 

 with sun-heat. As soon 

 as the side buds on the 

 old, as well as those clus- 

 tering round the base of 

 those of the young wood, 

 begin to push, remove 

 them with a sharp knife, and pinch 

 the points of the leaders when they 

 have attained the requisite height for 

 breaking into the first set of shoots 

 for future training. When 

 buds have broken into growth, and 

 the plants are again ready for shift- 

 ing, transfer them to nine-inch poti 

 and place them well up to the glass 

 in a light, airyjiouse, or span-roofed 

 pit, for the remainder of the season. 



Fig. 3.— Early Training. 



Training will now require attention. If the 

 first pair of shoots start vigorously, tie them out 

 horizontally; if weakly, let them take an oblique 

 direction, and again pinch the leader to secure a 

 second pair of side shoots. If all the three top buds 

 do not answer to the second pinching of the leader, 

 the first-formed pair of side shoots must also be 

 stopped to force the sap into them, and a slight 

 incision with a knife may be made in front of any 

 that do not show a disposition to break. Under 

 good management, and pinching of the leaders at 

 every twelve inches, three pairs of side shoots may 

 be formed by the end of August, representing a tree 

 something like the sketch (Fig. 3). Possibly not 

 more than two pairs, a a and b b, may be formed, the 

 buds &t c c having failed to break after the third 



stopping at d. This being the case, allow the leader 

 to grow on until the buds at e e are formed, and the 

 foundation of two more shoots at e e will be laid for 

 the following spring. 



The first year's culture being now nearly over, 

 treat the house to more air and fire-heat if necessary, 

 to maintain a temperature ranging from 60° at 

 night to 80° by day. Water moderately to prevent 

 the foliage from suffering, and syringe regularly to 

 keep it free from spider. Continue the treatment 

 until every inch of wood 

 up to the terminal bud 

 is ripe, then with the ripen- 

 ing foliage allow the heat 

 and moisture to decline. 

 When the trees have gone 

 to rest, place them against 

 a back wall in a cold, dry 

 house, and cover the pots 

 up with old tan, fern, or 

 litter for the winter. As 

 trees prepared in this way 

 are not often met with in 

 nurseries, the preparation 

 of home - grown trees, 

 which, owing to the special 

 attention devoted to them, 

 will generally start better 

 than any that can be purchased, 

 should be commenced at least one 

 year before they are required for 

 planting out. 



Planting. — Assuming that the 

 trees, now at rest, are to be planted 

 out, say in March or early in April, 

 let the first section of the borders be 

 made in each compartment some time 

 in advance. If the compost has been 

 properly prepared under cover, and 

 is dry, beat or tread it firmly to prevent it from 

 settling or holding a quantity of water in suspension, 

 and then leave it. Remove the trees from their 

 winter quarters into the house about to be planted, 

 examine the buds, and if more than the requisite 

 number — that is, three at the apex of the leader e e, 

 and the pair that did not break at c c — are present, 

 remove them with the point of a knife, and dress 

 with styptic to prevent bleeding. Early in March 

 give a little water to excite the roots, and allow 

 them to stand until the buds begin to swell. If any 

 of them show a disposition to remain dormant, 

 make an incision in front of them, and tilt the plants 

 on their sides with those particular buds upwards. 

 If this does not produce the desired effect, crush the 

 terminal bud, when one of the incipient buds at its 



