254 On ripening the second Crop of Figs. 



crop had been ; from whence it appears probable, that a 

 proper increase of heat during the ripening of the crop, will 

 much improve the fruit, if not render it quite as good as the 

 summer crop. In fact, the Fig Tree, whose broad leaves 

 hide the fruit almost entirely from the sun, seems to require 

 heat more than light, to bring its fruit to perfection. 



POSTSCRIPT. 



Since the above was written, I have been informed, by 

 Mr. Aiton, that he has, for several years past, practised 

 the forcing of Figs, in the royal gardens of Kew, with great 

 success, and that his chief dependence is upon the second 

 crop. The Fig house is fifty feet long, and has vines on the 

 rafters. In the spring it is used for forcing Cherries, Plums, 

 and Apricots, planted in boxes. 



In 1810, Mr. Aiton supplied the royal tables with more 

 than two hundred baskets of Figs ; about fifty of these were 

 of the first crop, the remainder of the second ; these began 

 to ripen in September, and lasted in plenty during the whole 

 of the months of October and November ; in one instance, 

 Mr. Aiton continued his crop till January, and sent excellent 

 Figs to the palace on the Queen's birth-day, the 18th day of 

 that month. 



