308 On training the Fig-tree. 



is recorded by Mr. Wickham, in the Horticultural Trans- 

 actions,* that a trained Fig-tree never bears fruit, should, to 

 a great extent, prove well founded. 



The mode of pruning recommended by Mr. Wickham is, 

 I entertain no doubt, exceedingly good for warm situations ; 

 but I think it well calculated for those only : for in cold 

 situations, unless the season were very favourable, the second 

 young wood would rarely acquire sufficient maturity to afford 

 fruit, or even to live. For all such I would therefore re- 

 commend the following mode of treatment ; which I have 

 seen adopted, ^with the most ample success, in a situation so 

 high and cold that the Peach and Nectarine can scarcely be 

 made to succeed at all in it, even in the finest seasons ; and it 

 is in such situations that the Fig-tree will be found best to 

 deserve culture. 



Let the stems, if there be, as usual, many within a narrow 

 space, be gradually reduced to one only ; and from the top 

 and parts near it of this, let lateral branches be trained 

 horizontally and pendantly, in close contact with the wall. 

 Under such treatment all troublesome luxuriance of growth 

 will soon disappear ; the pendant shoots will not annually 

 extend more than a few inches, and few, or no more leaves 

 will be produced, than those which the buds contain before 

 they unfold. The young wood consequently ceases to elon- 

 gate very early in the season, and thence acquires perfect 

 maturity; and by being trained close to the wall is placed 

 secure, or nearly so, from injury by the severest frost. The 

 quantity of mature and productive young wood thus neces- 

 sarily become very great, relatively to the size of the tree ; 



* Vol. iii. page 83. 



