218 THE FRUIT-GARDEN. [March. 
In planting figs, you may either procure trained young trees that 
are arrived to a bearing state, and plant them at fifteen or twenty 
feet distance; or, as they are propagated in general, either by the 
suckers which arise from the roots of the old trees, or by layers, or 
cuttings, young plants of these may be planted at once, where they 
are to remain, that they may establish their roots more effectually 
without being disturbed by removal: therefore in default of trained 
trees, some good plants or suckers of moderate growth, and such as 
are firm and well ripened, may be procured and planted at once 
where they are to remain; and others may be planted in the nurse- 
ry, for training a few years. 
To raise them by layers, select young branches of one o,r two 
years growth, laying them in the earth four or five inches deep, 
with the tops as erect as possible; they will be well rooted by next 
spring, when they should be separated from the old tree, and plant- 
ed either in the nursery, or where they are to remain. 
To propagate them by cuttings, make choice of the ripest and 
most perfect, of the last years shoots, from twelve to fifieen inches 
in length, cutting them off, with an inch or two of the two years old 
wood at their base; leaving the tops entie and uncut. Plant these 
cuttings six or eight inches deep, in good soil, and in rows two feet 
and a half asunder, and a foot distant from one another in the rows; 
here they may remain for two years when they will be in a fine 
condition for planting where wanted. 
They may also be propagated, by sowing the seed in long narrow 
boxes, the beginning of this month, placing them in a hot-bed to 
forward their growth; and about the middle of May, remove these 
boxes into the shade, where they can have the morning sun till 
ten o'clock, and the afternoon sun from four; giving them water 
when necessary, and protecting them the winter following from 
frost, either, by placing the boxes of plants in the green-house, or 
in garden-frames. When a year old they may be planted out as 
directed for cuttings, and treated afterwards in the same way. This 
will be the best method to obtain new kinds, the seeds of the import- 
ed figs will grow freely, if properly treated; they are to be covered 
when sown only about the eight of an inch deep. 
Layers or cuttings are preferable to suckers, as they are not so 
subject to produce suckers from their roots, after being finally 
planted, as the others. 
Fig-trees may be trained in half, or whole standards, and plant- 
ed, detached, in sheltered, sunny situations; keeping them free 
from suckers, permitting their heads to branch regularly around, 
and they will produce ripe fruit in good perfection; they produce 
more, and better, in a strong dry loamy soil, than in a sandy parch- 
ed one, (though in soil they are easily pleased, provided it does not 
lodge water;) for when planted in the latter, they are subject to cast 
their fruit in May and June, which, under such circumstances, in 
some measure, may be prevented by frequent waterings at that 
season: where they thrive well, they usually produce two crops in 
the season; the first on the former year's wood, and the second on 
