ON FIGS AND THEIR CULTURE AT CHISWICK. 



129 



and, beyond this, in fine dry sunny weather they sometimes dry 

 up and increase in richness. 



Selection of Varieties. — There is abundance of variety 

 amongst Figs to please all tastes and fancies, so that the follow- 

 ing selections may prove useful to intending growers. 



1. Size. — For large sorts the following may be named : 

 Brunswick, an old, well-known sort ; Nebian, or Grosse Verte, as 

 it is sometimes called ; and a new variety, named the Large Black 

 Douro, lately received from Spain. 



For small-fruited sorts White Ischia is one of the best, with 

 De Lipari, Black Provence, and Reculver. 



2. Fruitfulness.—As a rule, the smaller-fruited sorts bear 

 the most profusely, such as the White Ischia, (Eil de Perdrix, 

 and Black Provence. Some of those, however, which bear 

 both first and second crops make a large return. Of these 

 White Marseilles, Brown Turkey, and Negro Largo are good 

 examples. 



3. Season of Ripening. — The earliest of all is Trifer, closely 

 followed by De la Madeleine and White Marseilles. For the main 

 crop we would select varieties possessed of good quality, such as 

 Brown Turkey, Bourjassote grise, Violette de Bordeaux, Grise 

 Savantine bifere, Gouraud noir, Poulette, and, for the latest, 

 Col de Signora Bianco, Nebian, and d'Agen, which is the latest 

 of all. 



4. Flavour or Quality. — For high quality and constancy 

 there is none to surpass Bourjassote grise ; even the half-ripened 

 fruits of this variety are excellent. Col de Signora Bianco, 

 Nebian, Grise Savantine bifere, and Poulette are all varieties of 

 great excellence. 



5. Colour. — This is not a material point, except in a matter 

 of classification. They are readily divisible into three classes — 

 (1) green, white, or yellow ; (2) tawny ; and (3) black, or dark. As 

 examples of the first class we may take De la Madeleine, White 

 Marseilles, D'Oree, and Nebian ; and of the second, Brown 

 Turkey, Bourjassote grise, and De l'Archipel ; and of the third, 

 Violette de Bordeaux, Black Ischia, Negro Largo, and Gouraud 

 noir. 



6. Varieties which bear both First and Second Crops. — This 

 is a very important quality. White Marseilles, De la Madeleine, 

 Trifer, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick. 



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