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FIG CULTURE 



top treatment, can keep the trees dormant, and 

 when sap is active a freeze is always disastrous. 

 Some root prune to prevent tops from starting 

 until spring. Such treatment, when done for that 

 object alone, is open to serious objections, the vi- 

 tality of the whole tree being thus weakened, and 

 it is not an approved method of retarding initial 

 top growth. Eoot pruning should be adopted as a 

 last expedient, being questionable even then. 



It is demonstrable by field experiments that the 

 first sap movement of spring comes from vitality 

 stored in limbs rather than the activity of roots. 

 Botany teaches us: " The cause of the flow of sap 

 appears to be the attraction of it by the leaves. 

 The consequence of this is, that sap always be- 

 gins to flow at the ends of branches." When buds 

 open during winter it is usually from sap flowing 

 in the limbs ; thus in a fig cutting leaves are formed 

 that vary in size with the quantity of wood, which 

 unfold in advance of the formation of rootlets. Pro- 

 tect a forest log from drying during winter and 

 branchlets will sprout so soon as the enveloping 

 air warms to a temperature congenial for its 

 growth, and though there are no roots, the leaves 

 continue to flourish until all vitality in the wood is 

 exhausted. Place a tent, or build a shed, over part 

 of a fig tree, or, simpler still, draw some branches 

 through a convenient window into a living room in 

 winter time, the warmer interior air promoting 

 growth until full sized leaves are developed, while 



