300 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



frost has passed away, release the trees from the 

 walls, let the latter he re-pointed, lime-washed, and 

 trellised with wires running horizontally and close to 

 every third joint in the brickwork. Then proceed 

 to prune out the least promising superfluous wood, 

 retaining all the short stubby pieces, which are as a 

 rule the best ripened, and if the. preceding summer 

 has been fine, fairly furnished with embryo Figs 

 near the points. Anything larger than a Pea may 

 be rubbed off, as they will not grow to maturity. 

 Regulate the principal branches to form the frame- 

 work of a horizontal or oblique trained tree, cutting- 

 back all superfluous shoots to a single e}*e, for breaks 

 that will give ripe fruit in the following August and 

 September. The pinching of these the first year 

 will depend upon the state of the trees, as there may 

 be a dearth of young wood in some places, while 

 others may be plentifully furnished. Under the 

 first conditions, stopping may not be advisable ; 

 under the second, pinch at the sixth leaf to force up 

 the fruit from the axils of the leaves, and to secure 

 a break that will give the first ripe fruit in the 

 .succeeding year. Tie all the short stubby terminal 

 pointed pieces in close to the wall, so as to have it 

 evenly covered, but not crowded with foliage, and 

 the trees will be ready for starting. If the case is 

 not heated, ventilate freely to keep the trees from 

 breaking early, but if possible make the structure 

 useful as a storehouse for bedding plants, Straw- 

 berries in pots, Chrysanthemums, Salads, and a 

 score of other things, by putting in a flow and 

 return pipe from the nearest boiler. If this is 

 impracticable, an upright slow combustion boiler, 

 requiring no setting, such as described in the article 

 on Heating, will not only answer the purpose, but 

 will in good seasons enable the cultivator to obtain 

 two crops from many varieties in one year. This 

 provision being made, fill the shelf with Strawberries 

 and close for gentle forcing, towards the end of 

 March. Mulch the roots of the trees, and give them 

 plenty of water, but defer syringing until the buds 

 break, and then let it be once during the fore part of 

 the day. The object being the security of a crop 

 that will succeed forcing-houses, protection from 

 frost is all that is actually needed, although there is 

 nothing to prevent the trees from being brought 

 under moderate forcing. As days increase in length 

 ^and fine summer weather comes on, fires may be dis- 

 pensed with, and ventilation more freely indulged 

 in, to keep the growths short- jointed and sturdy. 

 But the Fig being a great lover of strong heat, 

 particularly from the sun, early closing will be 

 advisable, and copious syringing, well under the 

 foliage and into the walls to keep down spider, will 

 be necessary. When this stage has been reached, if 

 any of the old shoots have not broken so well as 



expected, let them be freely notched on the upper 

 sides to induce the incipient buds to move and 

 eventually form shoots. From this time forward 

 the trees may be treated as ordinary wall-trees, or 

 they may be pushed on under the usual Fig-house 

 treatment. When the crop is gathered cleanse the 

 trees, and give gentle fire-heat with air to ripen up 

 the wood, also cover the borders with dry mulching 

 and withhold water from the roots. It may be well 

 to remind the amateur, or young beginner, who may 

 not be well up in the management of the Fig, that 

 the stopping or pinching of the shoots must always 

 be discontinued in time for another break to push 

 and ripen before the leaves fall, otherwise many of 

 them will remain blind and the succeeding early crop 

 will be lost. Early-forced trees may require re- 

 peated pinching, but it rarely happens that the 

 occupants of late houses or Fig-cases require stop- 

 ping more than once. 



Everybody's Fig-Kouse.— Hitherto the cul- 

 ture and consumption of choice Figs have been con- 

 fined to the few, but with cheap glass and timber 

 at command there is nothing to prevent the million 

 from growing and enjoying this wholesome fruit. 

 Houses or glazed sheds of the simplest character can 

 be cheaply erected in warm snug corners or against 

 existing walls, with or without fire-heat, in which all 

 the varieties named will give at least one crop 

 annually, and some of them will continue bearing as 

 long as there is sufficient solar heat to ripen the 

 fruit. Early in October steps should be taken to 

 ripen up the wood, and when the leaves have fallen, 

 all partially swelled fruit may be pulled off, and the 

 trees placed close together at the greatest distance 

 from the glass. No water will be needed through 

 the winter months, provided the pots are well 

 packed with dry fern or straw. Neither will 

 ordinary frost hurt them. Should a frost of unusual 

 severity set in, pot-trees in the unheated house can 

 be entirely covered with dry straw or bracken, but 

 it should be removed in mild weather. 



Packing Figs. — The packing of ripe Figs for 

 transit to a distance requires great care, particularly 

 when they are quite ripe. For market purposes 

 they should be gathered as soon as they are well 

 coloured and show a tendency to open at the apex, 

 when they can be packed without injury and will 

 keep for a few days after they are received. If the 

 house is kept thoroughly dry and well ventilated, the 

 fruit can be gathered in much better condition than 

 when it is charged with moisture. 



For private purposes they should be gathered and 

 despatched on the day they are required for use. 



They are packed as described under Peaches, but 



