FIG. 



293 



uriant the tree, the greater must be the 

 declination. In pruning and training the 

 Fig tree, (as in other fruit trees,) the great 

 object must be to keep a regular supply 

 of young wood in every part. The shoots 

 must be trained so far distant that the- sun 

 and air will be properly admitted to every 

 part; in those kinds that have very large 

 leaves the distance must be twelve or four- 

 teen inches at least. The Fig tree shews 

 two or three fruit at the ends of the spring 

 shoots, but which do not always ripen well. 

 The principal crop of Figs is produced upon 

 those shoots that are made after midsummer, 

 therefore care must be taken to preserve the 

 fruit through winter, and they will come to 

 perfection in June or July following. When 

 a sufficiency of lateral bearing shoots is not 

 produced, they may be obtained by attend- 

 ing to the following directions. When the 

 spring shoots have done growing, which will 

 generally be the end of May or beginning 

 of June, let each shoot (where wood is re- 

 quired) be stopped, by pinching the end 

 betwixt the finger and thumb, so hard as to 

 feel that the shoot gives way to the pressure, 

 but not so as to break it; this will cause 

 shoots to push below where it was stopped. 

 If a shoot thus desired to be stopped be a 

 long one, let it be bruised or broken nearly 

 in two about the middle, or a piece of string 

 be twitched very tight round it, and the end 



