1866.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
141 
Thus the southern former can, if he will, labor 
the whole j-ear rouud, on the foce of his farm, 
instead of having it locked from him by five, 
and sometimes six months of frost and snow ; 
and the amount of stock he can keep is limited 
b.v the extent and fertility of his pastures, rather 
than by the crops of hay and roots which he 
raises, for every acre he has in good meadow, 
will at least winter one horse or cow. 
As a general rule, very few southern lands 
have ever been developed by any \mt the rudest 
and most wasteful agriculture. Out of a farm 
of 200 acres, as a general rule, about 100 have 
at some time been partially cleared and plowed, 
the other 100 is covered with primitive forests. 
In Tennessee, the population is about one- 
fourth as dense as in New York. In Kentucky 
and Virginia, the ratio is a little higher, but ia 
Arkansas and Texas, much lower. In short, 
the South can support a population five times 
as great as now exists upon it, before the densi- 
t}' on an average reaches that of New York. 
Five millions of free laborers, on fertile soil, 
and with the advantage of genial climate per- 
mitting farm labor almost the whole year round, 
can find employment, homes, and competency, 
as the reward of labor on the soil just cleared 
of a national curse bj' the national arms. 
The Cultivation of the Fig. 
Last autumn we mentioned the receipt of 
some fine figs which were grown in the open 
air, and since tiieu we have had several requests 
to know how to cultivate the fig tree. While 
in the warmer States it will grow as a standard, 
in the colder ones it must be kept so dwarf 
that whoever would sit under his own fig tree 
must take a rather low seat. In any case the 
fig can not be fruited at the North without a 
certain amount of trouble, and it will only find 
a place in the grounds of those who are willing 
to give it the necessary care. Plants are to be 
had from the nurseries, or they may be grown 
from cuttings of the last year's wood, 8 or 10 
inches long, taken with a small piece of the 
wood of the previous seasons growth at the base. 
These grow readily in a moderate hot-bed, and 
with tolerable certainty in the open air if put 
out after the ground is well warmed, and in a 
shaded Bituatiou. The fig strikes readily from 
layers, and early fruiting plants may be obtain- 
ed in this wav A good mellow soil that is not 
too moist or highly manured, suits the fig better 
than a very rich one. It should be trained as 
a low branching bush, with the branches not so 
crowded as to deprive the leaves of plenty of 
air and light. The great tendency to make a 
luxuriant growth of wood is checked by root 
pruning, an operation which tends to keep the 
tree dwarf and render it more fruitful. Root 
pruning is done at the time when the trees re- 
ceive their winter protection, for unless proper- 
ly secured from the severe cold of winter, the 
trees will be killed down to the root, if not en- 
tirely destroyed. One method is to cut a circle 
with a sharp spade at a distance of 18 inches 
or two feet from the trunk, severing all the 
roots, then lay the tree down and cover the 
whole, root and branch, with several inches of 
soil. Another plan is to cut around the tree and 
remove it with a ball of earth to the cellar, 
where it will winter in safety, care being taken 
that the roots do not become dry. In either of 
these modes of protecting, the root is annually 
pruned. Where a barrel or hogshead is placed 
around the tree, as is sometimes practised, and 
filled in with earth — or in milder localities with 
straw, the root pruning should not be neglect- 
ed. The roots tend to run to a great distance, 
and if the}- remain uncut, will not only rob oth- 
er plants but cause an undue growth of wood. 
The manner of the fruiting of the fig is not 
generall}' understood. It is popularly believed, 
and is so stated in some books, lliat the fig does 
not flower. This idea comes from the fact that 
the flowers are hidden, as they are very small, 
and produced on the inside of a hollow branch 
or receptacle, as was explained and illustrated 
in Oct. AgriculUd'ist, 1864. The fruit grows, 
at the axils of tjie leaves, one or two appearing 
at the base of each leaf The branch continues 
to grow throughout the season, and the buds 
produced on the lower portion of that growth 
attain a considerable size, and form what is 
called the second crop. These seldom ripen, 
and though they survive the winter if properly 
protected, they shrivel up and fall off in spring. 
On the other hand, the buds on the upper por- 
tion of the branch being small, survive the win- 
ter, and it is from these that the crop, or first 
crop, of the next season is produced. As in cold 
climates only one crop can be procured with 
any certainty, and this is only to be had upon 
the growth of the previous season, it is necessa- 
ry to remove all the j'oung fruit that appears 
upon the wood of the present season's growth — 
not all of the buds, but all those which mani- 
fest a disposition to grow. When these are re- 
moved, other buds are formed in their places, 
and at the end of the season the buds are all 
small enough to pass the winter in a dormant 
state. The fig is well suited to pot culture, and 
may be grown in large pots or tubs, which may 
be removed to the cellar for the winter. A 
number of varieties are sold, among the hard- 
iest of which are, the Brown Ischia, Brown 
Turkey, and White Ischia. The usual nursery 
price is from seventy-five cents to $1.00 each. 
The Burning Ba,xn.— [See next page.] 
There is something so terrible in uncontrolled 
fire, that no one can contemplate the bare pos- 
sibility of its gaining sway in his own or his 
neighbor's buildings without a shudder. In fact, 
men too often,'in the presence of such a calam- 
ity, shrink back oppressed with the feeling of 
their own powerlessuess, and in vague horror, 
witness the destruction which they think thcj' 
can not hinder. Or they rush to battle with 
the flames, fighting them with water, snatching 
objects from their scorching embrace, and in 
hand to hand conflict, proving how little the 
might of man can do to stay their progress. 
AVe sincerely hope that no reader of the Ag- 
riculturist may ever hear the alarmuig and 
heart-sickening cry, " Our barn is on fire .■" but, 
fires will occur, and our readers will be there to 
help the sufferers. So as we always mean to 
take a practical view of things, we will of this. 
When a barn is discovered to be on fire, there 
is something to do ; and what is done must be 
quickly done. The point is, to do exactly the 
right thing, and to do the best thing first. In 
the very incipiency of the fire, there is some 
possibility of putting it out, but after it has ac- 
quh-ed any headway, it must have its sweep 
through the building in which it originated, at 
any rate. This is true in 99 cases in 100. In a 
barn, fire does not smoulder and creep along 
under floors, between partitions, etc., as in a 
house, but it leaps from floor to rafters, and runs 
along the mows and wraps the whole mterior 
in sheets of flame, in less time than it takes to 
write about it, after it first becomes of notica- 
ble proportions. The stable.-, are usually so sit- 
uated that they may be entered from side doors, 
and are Ukely to be the last lobe thoroughly on 
fire. Si> the first thought should be the stock. 
Neat cattle, sheep, and hogs, need onl\' to be 
released and turned loose. They ^^•iIl get out of 
the barn quickly enough, and look after them- 
selves. It requires, however, both coolness and 
daring, to enter the cattle stalls, and to be effi- 
cient when there. Many a man is in such a )iur- 
ry that he can do nothing, he can not untie the 
simplest knots, nor cut the ropes, nor open the 
stanchions, and so the poor beasts burn to death. 
In many cases, it is essential to safety, that a 
wet cloth (part of a sheet is best, though a thin 
blanket will do,) should be thrown over the 
head so that the heat may be borne, and the 
smoky air be breathed with impunity. 
Horses, however, can not be trusted to leave 
the barn alone. They will, indeed, often not 
budge an inch, but stand and be burned to 
death, though free to go, and they will some- 
limes, (and several instances have fallen under 
our own observation), after being led away from 
the barn and turned loose, in their excitement 
turn back and dash in again never to come out. 
After the fire has gained exciting headway in 
the vicinity of the stable, those who release the 
horses should take with them blanket.s, or cloths 
of some kind, which should be wet, if possible ; 
but don't wait long to wet them. Tlien these 
being thrown over then- heads, they may be 
usually led awaj" without difficulty. If anj' do 
not start then, taketlie twist on their upper lips 
with a rope or halter, and bring them to their 
senses with pain— whipping and kicking will 
do little good. The horses must be left in a lot 
with a high, tight fence, or in a neighbor's bam, 
or yard, and some one ought to watch them. 
While the stock are being saved, the women 
and those not engaged, should get ready all the 
old carpets, blankets, buckets, etc., at hand, and 
with these protect the house if it is in danger, 
and to this the attention of the men should next 
be turned. In some cases this is the first thing 
to do, but usually there is little danger, until the 
roof of the barn falls in, and a very great heat 
is thrown out. Then, should the wind be toward 
the house, there will be danger from sparks, and 
some one should be constantly upon the roof 
with water and a dipper, to put out sparks and 
brands that may fall, and others should watch 
the cornices and eaves fi'om adjacent windows, 
to dash water where the wood begins to scorch, 
or hang over wet carpets. 
Next in order of importance, usually, the feasi- 
bility of controlling the spread of the flames to 
other buildings, is to be considered Sheds, 
fences, etc., which connect the burning building 
with others should be at once cut and cleared 
away Do not attempt to pull over a shed un- 
til ail the posts are cut ofl". A few good ax men 
will do this very soon, and then a pair of cattle 
or two with a chain properly attached, will 
drag it over and haul it out of the way. Fire 
hooks are of course not to be had, but a strong 
plow, with the coulter off, is not a bad substi- 
tute. The point may be jammed into a roof or 
into a mass of timber so as to hold as well, and 
be much more easily attached than a chain could 
be. If a stack is in the way, and there is help 
enough, it maybe torn down and carried off by 
hand toward the wind, and away from buildings 
in a \cry short time. Detached buildings may 
be saved by wetting, by blanl;els, carpets, etc. 
AVhoever goes to a fire in the country should 
take an oj, a lucket, and a horse blanket, or 
piece of carpet. These are the things of most use. 
