84 On the Culture of Fig Trees, in the open air. 



pruning these trees, i. e. by cutting away, or shortening, the 

 last year's shoots, instead of cutting away old wood, and train- 

 ing those shoots to the wall, in its place : for when the tree 

 is not pruned, all the bearing wood (i. e. the last year's mid- 

 summer shoots) is necessarily left untouched, but where the 

 gardener shortens his shoots, he as necessarily cuts it all away. 

 The rapid growth of the branches, however, will always set 

 natural bounds to this system of leaving the tree wild ; and 

 there are, besides, two objections to it, which must be fatal, 

 except in those favoured situations, where the fruit will ripen, 

 in ordinary years, even on standards. First, that the mid- 

 summer shoots, wanting the immediate protection of the wall, 

 will infallibly perish, in a severe winter ; and whenever they 

 die, in consequence of the action of frost, the mischief gene- 

 rally extends back to the spring wood of the preceding year, 

 and not unfrequently to the branches. Secondly, that this 

 species of fruit never ripens so early, or ultimately acquires 

 so high a flavour, in this moist climate (where the absence of 

 sun is severely felt, even in the most favoured situations), as 

 when it is assisted, in shady weather, and cold nights, by the 

 warmth arising from the immediate contact, still more than 

 from the shelter of the wall. 



Supplementary Note. 

 In all cases, where the spring shoots are particularly strong, 

 it is adviseable to indulge the natural vigour of the tree, by 

 suffering the greater part, if not the whole, of them, to grow 

 to their full length, cutting out proportionable quantities of 

 old branches, at the winter prunings. Should this propen- 



