FIG. 



SECT. IX. 



OF THE FIG. 



The cultivated fig is one of the most tender of our 

 wall fruits. It is a native of central Asia, and has 

 long been introduced into this country ; and what is 

 singular, two or three of the original trees brought to 

 London and Oxford above three hundred years ago, 

 are still in existence, viz. two on the archiepiscopal 

 palace at Lambeth, and one in the garden of one of 

 the colleges at Oxford. These trees are of the kind 

 now called the White Marseilles. 



The Lambeth trees had many years ago arrived at 

 a large size ; and were never pruned, except only to 

 cut out the dead wood. The growth was languid ; 

 producing only spurs, a habit the most favourable for 

 the prolificacy of the tree. The knife is seldom 

 wanted in the management of the fig : pinching off 

 the points of the young shoots during the months of 

 May and June, with the thumb and finger, is the 

 most efficient pruning. The treatment of the fig as 

 to pruning, is less understood by the generality of 

 gardeners than that of any other fruit tree. We 

 often see the tree trained very exactly and beauti- 

 fully ; but very rarely do we see a good crop of fruit 

 at the same time. 



Miller introduced some fine sorts from Italy in his 

 time ; and was a great advocate for a more general 

 planting of the fig in the gardens of the nobility and 

 gentry of Britain. His advice was partly followed 



