September 2, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
The Figs of Athens were celebrated for their ex- 
quisite flnvour ; and Xerxes was induced by them to 
undertake the conquest of Attica. The African figs 
were also much admired at Rome, although Pliny 
says. ' it is not long since they began to grow figs in 
Africa.' Cato, in order to stimulate the Roman sena- 
tors to declare war against Oarthage, showed them 
a fig brought from thence. It was tresh and in good 
condition, and all agreed that it must have been 
quite recently pulled from the tree. ' Yea,' said Oato, 
'It is not yet three days since this fig was gathered 
at Carthage ; see bv it how near to the walls of 
the city we have a mortal enemy.' This argument deter- 
tmined the Senate to commence the third Punic war, the 
result of which was that Carthage, the rival of Rome, 
was utterly destroyed. 
Only six varieties of Figs were known in Italy in 
the time of Oato. Others were introduced from 
Negropont and Scio, according to Pliny, who gives a 
catalogue of thirty sorts. The fig may have been in- 
troduced into Britain, along with the vine, by the 
Romans, or subsequently by the monks. But if it 
had, it seems to have disappeared till brought from 
Italy by Cardinal Pole, either when he returned from 
that country in 1525, or after his second residence 
abroad in 1548. In either case the identical trees 
which he brought, and which were planted in the 
garden of the Archiepiscopal Palace at Lambeth, have 
certainly existed for more than 300 years. This 
proves that the fig lives to a great age, even under 
less favourable circumstances than it enjoys in its native 
country. Another tree, brought from Aleppo by Dr. 
Poc >ck, was planted in the garden of one of the 
colleges at Oxford in 1648. Having been injured by 
fire in 1809, the old trunk decayed and was removed, 
but fresh shoots sprang up, some of which in 1819 were 
twenty-one feet high. In this oountry a chalk sub- 
soil, and a climate like that near the south coast, 
appear to suit the fig best. There the trees grow and 
bear as standards. They are liable, however, to be 
killed to the ground in winters of excessive severity ; 
but they spring up afresh from the roots. There 
was an orchard, not exceedingly three-quarters of an 
acre, at Tarring, near Worthing, in Sussex, containing 
100 standard fig-trees. About 100 dozen of ripe figs 
were usually gathered daily from these trees during 
August, September, and October. By selecting similarly 
favourable spats, it may be fairly concluded that this 
country could supply itself with abundance of fresh 
figs. As for dry ones, they are obtained in large quan- 
tities from Turkey, the Mediterranean, and other 
countries ; but the supply for centuries back has chiefly 
been from Turkey. The import has been as much as 
1,000 tons a year; and uow that the duty is taken off, 
the quantity imported will doubtless be much greater. 
The wood of the Fig is soft and spongy ; and as it can 
in consequence be easily charged with oil and emery, 
it is used in some countries by locksmiths and armourers 
for polishing. [R. T.] 
From an American Horticultural Dictionary — 
Johnson's Gardener's Dictionary — we quote as fol- 
lows some very praotioal information : — 
Fig. Ficus Carica. 
Varieties. — For t'orciug, we recommend the Brown 
Turkey, or Lee's Perpetual, Pregussata, and White 
Marseilles- The Nerii is also well spoken of. To 
plant out-doors, the Brunswick, Brown Turkey, Brown 
Tschia, Black Iscliia, and Pregussata. 
Propagation. — The fig roots so firmly by cuttings, 
that few resort to any other mode. They propagate, 
however, as freely by layers. Some pers ms, also, have 
raised them from seed, but it does not appear that 
they are valuable, though new kinds have been orgi- 
nated by such means. Cuttings of ripe wood, about 
three or four inches long, planted in pots in January 
or February, and plunged in any ordinary bottom- 
heat, will make very nice plants during the same 
summer. Those for forcing in pots or boxes must be 
potted of! when rooted, and again plunged in bottom 
warmth, and the highest course of culture pursued, 
shifting them when neceesory. Those who plant on the 
open walls should do so in the middle of March ; 
and if the plants are from pots, the roots must bo 
uncoiled and spread nicely out. Many persons who 
have established trees merely take suckers away from 
them ; such only need fastening in the soil, and, it 
may be, a shading when they begin to grow. 
Soil. — The fig will thrive in almost any ordinary 
garden-soil, but it is said to prefer a chalky loam. 
When piauted against walls out of doors, care must 
be taken not to make the soil rich, for invincible 
grossness would be the consequence. A plain "maiden" 
soil is quite good enough for general purposes. 
Culture in Growing Period. — Out-door culture con- 
sists in an early disbudding of all superfluous shoots ; 
this is performed when the young shoots are about 
three inches long, reserving all those which are short- 
jointed and compact-looking. Care must be taken 
to reserve shoots for blank places. This disbudding 
is generally performed at twice or thrice during the 
season ; for waste and watery-looking spray will con- 
tinue to spring up until August, especially in moist 
summers, and when the plants are gross. Such dis- 
budding should be carried out until almost every leaf 
of the future year's bearing-wood obtains a free ex- 
posure to sunshine, say by the middle of August. 
About the end of this month it is accounted good 
practice to pinch the ends of all growing shoots, or 
rather to squeeze them with the thumb and finger. 
Nothing more is needed as summer culture, except 
a timely training of all reserved shoots, in order to 
obtain all the sunlight possible. 
Culture in Rest Period. ~ This merely consists in 
protection from frost, and in pruning. Towards the 
beginning of December, some protection ought to be 
given, as mats, straw, fern fronds, or spruce boughs. 
Before closing tbem, or, indeed, at the end of 
October, every fig which has become as large as a horse- 
bean, should be pulled away, for such rob the trees, and 
are sure to perish. The trees must be uncovered again 
in the end of February, if matted, otherwise suoh mate- 
rials as fern or straw may remain on a little longer ; the 
spruce, until pruning time. The latter operation should 
nob be performed until the young buds are beginning to 
swell, when wood of a proper character may be dis- 
tinguished readily from that which is useless. All 
the latter must be cut away, unless required for blank 
spaces; but if summer disbudding has been properly 
performed, there will be little for the pruner to do. 
After this, they must be duly trained. 
Forcing. — Some build house for the fig, but most 
prefer growing them in tubs or large pots. The 
general principles of forcing them so closely resemble 
those for the vine, that it will be needless to go 
into details. As to general temperature, although they 
will bear much heat, yet most cultivators agree that 
one intermediate between the peach-house and the 
forcing vinery is the most congenial. It requires, how- 
ever, a little more excitement to bring the fig into 
leaf than the peach. Under good house culture it 
will produce two satisfactory crops in one year. A 
first crop may be obtained as early as May, and after 
a couple of months or so, the second will commence 
ripening ; the latter being those on the wood of the 
current season. The first crop, or the embryo fruit 
of the previous year, is very apt to fall prematurely, 
and much care is necessary. Regular waterings the 
moment they are dry, and an avoidance of atmos- 
pheric extremes are the best preventives. Most good 
cultivators make a point of pinching the ends of the 
young shoot when about six or eight eyes or buds in 
length ; this soon causes the fruit to form in the axils 
of the leaves. Frequent syringings should be practised 
in the growiug season ; and at rest they should never 
be subjected to a lower temperature than 4u°. Under 
all circumstances, the fig delights in a soil somewhat 
moist : a neglect of watering when necessary, even for 
a day, may cause them to cast their fruit. 
Fruit. — Its use is almost entirely confined to the ripo 
state, as dessert ; as for keeping, if such is attempted, 
it must be on the retarding system, by partial shade, 
and aloweriugof temperature just before ripeniug. 
Insects.— The Red Spider and the Brown Scale alone 
cause any alarm to Fig cultivators. The spider must 
be combated by the syringe, by an occasional dusting 
