F I 



full of Sap ; fo they will not bleed 

 fo much, as when they are pruned 

 in the Spring; and, at this Seafon, 

 the Branches mould be diverted of all 

 the autumnal Figs ; and the fooner 

 this is done, when the Leaves begin 

 to fall off, the better will the young 

 Shoots refill the Cold of the Winter. 

 There are fome Seafons fo cold and 

 moift, that the young Shoots of the 

 Fig-trees will not haiden ; but are 

 foft, and full of Juice: when this 

 happens, there is little Hope of a 

 Crop of Figs the fucceeding Year ; 

 for the firft Froft in Autumn will 

 kill the Upper -part of thefe Shoots, 

 for a confiderable Length downward : 

 whenever this happens, it is the bed 

 Way to cut off all the decayed Part 

 of the Shoots, which will prevent 

 the Infection from deftroymg all the 

 Lower part of the branches ; and, 

 by this Method, I have feen a mo- 

 derate Crop of Figs put out from 

 the Lower-part of the Shoots, where, 

 if the Shoots had not been injured, 

 there would have been no Fruit pro- 

 duced ; becaufe it is chiefly from the 

 four or five uppermoft Joints of the 

 Shoots, that the Fruit comes out: 

 and it is for this Reafon, that as 

 many of the fhort lateral Branches 

 mould be preferved as polhble, thofe 

 being the moil productive or Fruit ; 

 for where the long (trait Shoots are 

 fattened up, there will be no Fruit, 

 but at their Extremities ; fo that all 

 the lower Part of the Trees will be 

 naked, if there is not a particulur 

 Regard had to fupply young Shoots 

 in every Part of the Trees. 



Thofe Trees which are laid down 

 from the Walls or Efpaliers, fhould 

 not be fattened up again until the 

 End of M rch for the Reafons be- 

 fore given ; and thofe againft Walls 

 may remain fome time long.'-r: and 

 when the large Shoots of thefe are 

 railed up, if thefmal! lateral Branches 



F I 



are thruft behind thefe, to keep them 

 clofe to the Wall, it will fecure the 

 young Figs from being injured by 

 the morn-rig Frofls : and when this 

 Danger is over, they may be brought 

 forward to their natural Pontion 

 again: during the Summer - feafon 

 thefe Trees will require no pruning; 

 but the Branches are often blown 

 down by Wind ; therefore, when- 

 ever this happens, they mould be 

 immediately fattened up again ; 

 otherwife they will be in Danger of 

 breaking ; for the Leaves of thefe 

 Trees being very large and ftiff, the 

 Wind has great Power on them 

 fo that where the Branches are not 

 well fecured, they are frequently 

 torn down. 



Thofe Trees which are planred 

 againft Efpaliers, may be protected 

 from the Injury of Frott in the 

 Spring, by placing Reeds on each 

 Side the Efpalier, which may be 

 taken down every Day, and put 

 up again at Night ; bjt this need 

 not be praclifed in warm Weather, 

 but only at fuch times as there are 

 cold Winds, and frofty Mornings : 

 and altho' there is fome Trouble and 

 Expence attending this Manage- 

 ment, yet the plentiful Crop of Figs, 

 which may be this way obtained, 

 will fufficiently recompenfe for both: 

 the belt W r ay of making this Cover- 

 ing is, to fatten the Reeds with Rope- 

 yarn, in fuch a manner, as that it 

 may be rolled up like a Mat ; fo that 

 the Whole may with great Facilky 

 be put up, or taken down : and if 

 thefe Reeds are carefully rolled up, 

 after the Seafon for ufing them is 

 over, and put up in a dry Shed, they 

 will laft feveral Years. 



There are feveral Perfons who of 

 late have planted Fig trees in Stan- 

 dards, which have fucceeded very 

 well : this Practice was revived, by 

 obferving fome old Standard Fig- 

 trees 



