On obtaining very early Crops of the Grape and Fig. 233 



quiescent state till the end of August. It then vegetated 

 strongly, and shewed abundant blossom, which, upon being 

 transferred to the stove, set very freely ; and the fruit, having 

 been subjected to the influence of very high temperature, 

 ripened early in the present month, February. The plant will 

 retain its foliage till April, and will not be prepared to vegetate 

 again till late in the spring, and it is at the present period 

 very nearly in the same inexcitable state with those described 

 by Mr. Arkwrigiit. This experiment will probably succeed 

 well with those varieties of the Vine only which produce blos- 

 soms somewhat freely, and are of hardy habits ; but abundant 

 crops of fruit of these may be obtained at any period of the 

 winter or spring by proper previous management of the 

 plants, and by the application of a higher or lower degree of 

 temperature. 



The White Marseilles Fig, and the other white variety of 

 Duhamel, the Figue blanche, which very closely resemble 

 each other,* succeed most perfectly under similar treatment ; 

 and if the trees be taken from the stove in the end of May, 

 or beginning of June, and placed under a north wall till Sep- 

 tember, and be then again transferred to the stove, they will 

 begin to ripen their fruit in January or February, and continue 

 to produce it till the end of May, or the beginning of June, 

 when they should be again removed from the stove. The Figs 

 which ripen in January and February are not so good as those 

 ripened in more favourable seasons : but they are nevertheless 

 very good fruit, and valuable in mid-winter ; and the trees, if 

 the temperature be proper (and they are extremely patient of 

 heat) grow equally well in all seasons, if the roof of the stove 

 be properly constructed, and the glass be of good quality. 



* Traite des Arbres Fruitiers, Tom, i. page 211. 



vol. vi. H h 



