0^ SEVERAL SPECIES OF FICUS, INCLUDmO THE COMMON FIG. 107 
exposure to great cold, or from the wood being unripe. The leaves are generally killed 
by frost, this ought never to be ; for whilst the leaves remain green, the wood is immature. 
The young fruit may be preserved through the winter by covering the trees with double 
mats from the effects of the early autumn frosts, until the young buds are perfected. 
Propagation is effected by layers and cuttings about a foot long, taken off the most 
fruitful and well-ripened shoots, planted in pots of sandy soil, and placed in a gentle heat ; 
they bear fruit the second year. 
The best kinds for walls are — 
White Marseilles. 
Black Ischia. 
Brown Ischia. 
Brown Naples. 
Pregussata, 
Lee's Perpetual. 
Large Blue, or Long Purple. 
Brunswick. 
Brianzolo. 
White Genoa. 
The White Marseilles is an excellent fruit, with a rich honey-like sweetness, and . 
pleasant flavour, but is of a small size. The tree does not grow strong like some other 
kinds, and is a most profuse bearer. 
Black Ischia. A deep violet fruit of moderate size and good flavour. The tree is of 
strong growth, and sometimes requires pruning at the roots, especially if the soil be at all 
rich, otherwise it becomes long-jointed, and the wood does not ripen. It is hardy and 
seldom suffers from our winters. 
Brown Ischia. — One of the best wall Figs we have, both in respect to the production 
of fruit and its flavour. The fruit also becomes of a good size in favourable situations, 
but the tree is apt to grow succulent and long-jointed, if planted in too rich a soil. This, 
however, can be remedied by root-pruning. The fruit ripens in succession, after the 
manner of Lee's Perpetual ; the colour is brown, with a purple bloom on the sunny side. 
Broivn Naples. — A large fruit of the first quality, and of a brown colour, tinged with 
blue on the sunny side. The tree grows strong, and the leaves are large : it is, therefore, 
necessary to keep the wood very thin. The roots, also, must be kept within bounds by 
pruning ; otherwise, it is not a good cropper. 
Pregussata.— This is a small, dark, blue Fig, of a first-rate quality. The tree is not a 
strong grower, and, therefore, requires less room than some of the others. A south aspect 
is the most suitable for it. 
Lees Perpetual is not, either in size or flavour, equal to some others. The tree is not 
a strong grower, but bears a profusion of fruit, which seldom drops ; ripening continues 
through the whole of the season, until the cold autumn winds affect the leaves. 
Large Blue. — A fine large fruit, making an excellent figure in the dessert : but the 
tree seldom bears a large crop ; and the flavour of the fruit is not equal to some of the 
smaller kinds. The tree is also of very vigorous growth, and will outstrip all bounds, if 
the soil in which it is planted be rich. 
Brunswick.— -A good wall fruit, of a large size ; but, like the last, the tree seldom 
bears a good crop. The fruit, however, is superior in flavour to the Large Blue, and the 
tree is more easily kept within bounds. 
Brianzolo is, perhaps, the best-flavoured Fig grown. At present, it is too little known 
to cultivators. The tree is a profuse bearer, and should be planted in a warm situation. 
The fruit is small, of a bright yellow green, with the inside of a bright crimson. 
White Genoa is a large Fig, of good quality. The tree grows strong, and bears very 
fine crops ; but the roots require to be pruned, and the shoots to be laid in very thin. 
The winter management of the Fig tree merely consists in keeping the borders pretty 
dry ; and, by a covering of long litter, preventing the frost penetrating to injure the roots. 
Caprification, or artificial ripening of the fruit, is a system followed in some parts of 
the Continent, in imitation of the perforations of an insect, which is thought to greatly 
facilitate the fruit coming to maturity, by causing " the nutritious juice to extra vasate in 
those vessels, which they tear asunder in depositing their eggs ; or, perhaps, it leaves 
behind it some sort of liquor, proper to ferment greatly with the milk of the Fig, and 
