THE FIG. 



557 



limestone or chalk lumps where they are to be 

 had. In lean-to houses the back wall may be 

 covered entirely, training the trees to a wire 

 trellis, and the front may be planted in the 

 standard manner. It is of great importance in 

 forcing the fig, even when the trees are planted 

 out, that means be employed whereby a slight 

 degree of bottom heat may be applied to them 

 when necessary, and this can best be done when 

 a substratum of stones or brickbats is laid 2 feet 

 over the whole bottom of the borders, and hot- 

 water pipes made to traverse through the mass; 

 or the borders may be vaulted and heated 

 below, as exemplified in the vineries at Yester, 

 vide vol. i., fig. 445. 



The Nerii and Lee's perpetual are well adapted 

 for standard-growing, while the Brown Ischia, 

 White Genoa, &c, are adapted to the back trellis. 

 As to temperature, almost under any circum- 

 stance the starting-point may be taken at 50° 

 for atmospheric heat, and 60° for bottom heat, 

 and when the fruit begins to grow, raising pro- 

 gressively to 55°, 60°, and so on progressively 

 much the same as for vines. Water less abun- 

 dantly until the fruit has fairly begun to swell, 

 after which it must be applied more abundantly 

 to aid in its swelling, and syringing must be 

 attended to, using for both purposes water as 

 near the temperature of the house as possible. 

 Manurial stimulants are not so congenial to the 

 fig as to most other fruits ; it should therefore 

 be supplied more sparingly, and not at all if the 

 trees assume a strong habit of growth. Venti- 

 lation is, as in all similar cases, important; a 

 neglect of it is one of the causes of the fruit's 

 dropping prematurely. As to pruning in early 

 forcing, little is required beyond thinning the 

 branches should they have become crowded, or 

 displacing any ill-placed or awkward shoot pre- 

 vious to their being put into a state of excite- 

 ment. What is usually called summer pruning, 

 but which, in the case of figs forced from Novem- 

 ber to May, may be called spring pruning, con- 

 sists in pinching out the top of the young wood 

 when it has attained the length of 4 or 5 inches, 

 the portion left producing the second crop of 

 fruit ; and this, under favourable circumstances, 

 may be repeated a second time, so as to secure 

 something like a third crop. It is better, how- 

 ever, when the plants are in a portable state, to 

 be content with two crops, and to let the plants 

 go to rest after perfecting the second crop; and 

 where there is a sufficient stock of plants, which 

 should always be the case where a long continu- 

 ance of fruit is desired, set after set should be 

 brought in. It is less difficult to produce ripe 

 figs throughout the year by these means than 

 any other fruit. Forcing the fig at later periods 

 of the year is to be considered a repetition of 

 the above practice. To grow the fig in perfec- 

 tion, it should have accommodation especially 

 set apart for itself; and if the trees be well 

 managed, few fruits will equal it in duration, 

 quality, and quantity of its production. To 

 ripen off the late crop, say in October and be- 

 ginning of November, a temperature will be 

 required of at least 60°, accompanied with a free 

 circulation of air to prevent dampness affecting 

 the fruit. 



VOL. II. 



The varieties best adapted for pot-culture, 

 Mr Rivers says, are "the White Ischia, the 

 Saint Jean, both most abundant bearers, the 

 White Marseilles, the White Genoa, and the 

 Brown Turkey. If more varieties are required, 

 the Nerii and the Pregussata may be added." 

 The two latter are held high in our estimation, 

 both on account of their productiveness and 

 their delicacy of flavour. 



The fig is well adapted for growing in pots in 

 pits, and still better in such structures as Mr 

 Rivers' orchard -houses, but in such limited 

 spaces the quantity produced must ever be 

 small compared to what may hereafter be con- 

 fidently expected, not only as regards figs, but 

 all other fruits, where structures covering an 

 acre or more will be erected. 



SELECT LIST. 



Angelique. — Colour pale greenish yellow; form 

 obovate ; size small. This little fig is somewhat 

 like the Marseilles, but longer. It is a very 

 abundant bearer, and of excellent quality. In 

 the case of the fig we will omit the French 

 synonyms, considering the English ones suffi- 

 cient for every practical purpose. 



Brunswick. — Colour violet brown ; form pyra- 

 midal; size one of the very largest; flavour rich 

 and excellent, although by no means so delicate 

 and tender as most others. It is one of the 

 hardiest, a remarkably strong grower, which 

 nothing but root-pruning or walling in the roots 

 can check. It is of too robust a character for 

 forcing. Synonyms — Madonna, Hanover, Black 

 Naples, Red, Brown Hamburg, Bayswater, Cle- 

 mentine. 



Genoa, large white. — Colour whitish yellow; 

 form roundish, rather lengthened towards the 

 stalk ; size large ; skin thin ; flavour excellent. 



Ischia, black. — Colour dark violet, almost black 

 when ripe ; form round, somewhat flattened at 

 the apex ; size medium ; pulp deep red ; flavour 

 excellent. Synonyms — Blue Ischia, Early forc- 

 ing. An excellent bearer, and comparatively 

 hardy, as are all the Ischias. Of moderate 

 growth. 



Ischia, brown. — Colour brown; form obovate; 

 size medium ; flesh tender and of excellent 

 quality. Synonym — Chestnut-coloured Ischia. 



Ischia, white. — Colour pale yellowish green; 

 form roundish obovate; size small. One of 

 the hardiest of the pale-coloured. A moderate 

 grower and good bearer. 



Malta. — Colour light brown; form much com- 

 pressed at the apex, and tapering very much 

 towards the stalk; flesh pale brown, and of a 

 very sweet rich flavour. Hangs long on the 

 tree after becoming ripe, and if left till shrivelled 

 it becomes a fine sweetmeat. Synonym — Small 

 brown. This is the Malta of Lindley. Thompson, 

 No. 21, in " Hort. Soc. Fruit Cat.," has it Malta 

 white. 



Marseilles. — Colour white, or rather pale 

 greenish yellow; form roundish obovate, slightly 

 ribbed; flesh rather dry, but very sweet and 

 rich. Tree hardy and an excellent bearer. 

 One of the very best for forcing. Synonyms — 

 Ford's seedling, Pocock's, White standard, White 



4 B 



