186 On the Treatment of Standard Fig Trees. 



with a saw, and smoothed the cuts with a sharp knife : the 

 centre branches I cut completely out, and left the side or ho- 

 rizontal branches, which this summer were quite bent down 

 with the weight of leaves and fruit. 



This season has certainly been very favourable to the ripen- 

 ing of the fruit, but I flatter myself that the fruit has been im- 

 proved by the mode in which I treated the trees, for the 

 quantity, richness, and size of the Figs have never, I believe, 

 been exceeded in this county, which is, notwithstanding, 

 famous for the production of this kind of fruit. 



I regret that I cannot furnish any particulars, as to the 

 age or history of the trees ; but the size of one is very re- 

 markable, it is the Marseilles Fig, from which the specimens 

 which I lately sent to the Society were gathered. The tree 

 measures six feet nine inches in circumference, at two feet 

 above the surface ; it there branches into two arms, each of 

 which is three feet six inches in circumference. The extended 

 branches of this tree cover thirty feet in diameter. 



