410 On the Cultivation ofFigs on the bach walls of Vineries, 



two Fig trees are planted against the back wall, one is a 

 brown the other a white Fig, kinds which are common in 

 Italy and in the south of France, and both bearing fruit of 

 a short and flattened form. These trees have been planted 

 fifteen years, and entirely cover the wall; the border in 

 which they were planted, was originally made very rich, and 

 they have grown well in it ; the branches are trained to a 

 trellis against the wall, but they are also suffered to project 

 from the wall. The trees are pruned in the autumn, after 

 their wood is well hardened, where it is necessary to prevent 

 them from incumbering the house ; but as the object is to 

 get the trees to the largest possible size, in which state they 

 will produce more of the short fruit-bearing shoots, they are 

 cut but little, except it be occasionally necessary to thin 

 them, by taking out a strong limb ; it is the practice to begin 

 forcing when the Grapes break in the middle of April ; the 

 first crop of Figs ripens in June, and the second crop in 

 August ; the Grapes begin to ripen in September, and con- 

 tinue fresh until near Christmas. 



Under such treatment both kinds of fruits are of great 

 excellence. It is advisable not to train the Vines entirely 

 under the whole of the glass, but to leave a space in the 

 centre of each light, its whole length, for the admission of 

 the sun's rays : the Grapes perhaps will be as much benefitted 

 by this practice as the Figs. The height to which the Fig 

 trees are suffered to grow must be regulated by the consi- 

 deration, whether it be desired to sacrifice part of the crop 

 of Grapes to the increase of the produce of Figs ; if the Fig 

 trees are permitted to reach the glass, the Vines must be 



