496 



THE FIG. 



ening-in the branches occasionally, and taking out old and decaying 

 wood. 



In winter the branches of the fig must be bent down to the ground, 

 and fastened with hooked pegs, and covered with three or four inches 

 of soil, as in protecting the foreign grape. This covering should be re- 

 moved as soon as the spring is well settled. Below Philadelphia, 

 a covering of straw, or branches of evergreens is sufficient — and south 

 of Virginia the fig is easy of culture as a hardy standard tree. 



Two crops are usually produced in a year by this tree : the first, 

 which ripens here in midsummer, and is borne on the previous season's 

 shoots ; and the second, which is yielded by the young shoots of this 

 summer, and which rarely ripens well in the Middle States. It is, there- 

 fore, a highly advantageous practice to rub off all the young figs of this 

 second crop after midsummer, as soon as they are formed. The conse- 

 quence of this is to retain all the organizable matter in the tree, and to 

 form new embryo figs where these are rubbed off, which then ripen the 

 next season as the first crop. 



Ripening the Fruit. In an unfavorable soil or climate, the ripen- 

 ing of the fig is undoubtedly rendered more certain and speedy by touch- 

 ing the eye of the fruit with a little oil. This is very commonly prac- 

 tised in many districts of France. " At Argenteuil," says Loudon, 

 " the maturity of the latest figs is hastened by putting a single drop of 

 oil into the eye of each fruit. This is done by a woman, who has a 

 phial of oil suspended from her waist, and a piece of hollow rye straw 

 in her hand. This she dips into the oil, and afterwards into the eye of 

 the fig." 



We have ourselves frequently tried the experiment of touching the 

 end of the Fig with the finger dipped in oil, and have always found the 

 fruits so treated to ripen much more certainly and speedily, and swell 

 to a larger size than those left untouched. 



There are forty-two varieties enumerated in the last edition of the 

 London Horticultural Society's Catalogue. Few of these have, how- 

 ever, been introduced into this country, and a very few sorts will com- 

 prise all that is most desirable and excellent in this fruit. The follow- 

 ing selection includes those most suitable for our soil and climate. 



Fruit nearly all ripen in August. 



CLASS I. 

 RED, BROWN, OR PURPLE. 

 Black Genoa. 



The fruit of this Fig is long obovate, that portion next the stalk being 

 very slender. Skin dark purple, becoming nearly black, and covered 

 with a purple bloom. Pulp bright red, flavor excellent. Habit of the 

 tree moderately strong. 



Black Ischia. 

 Early Forcing. Blue Ischia. 



One of the most fruitful sorts, and pretty hardy. 



