90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 31. 1890. 
is not hardy, that everybody knows, as the first severe winter cuts 
it off the ground. This is a great drawback where it happens, one 
it is well to know. Protection must be given in most places for its 
growths in winter, in order to safety and a crop of Figs, those 
forgetting to come all the same in a majority of seasons 
in anything like remunerative quantity of the space occupied and 
labour entailed. There are, however, examples to the contrary. 
In some places Figs will grow and fruit satisfactorily without any 
trouble. This is rare. I have not seen a Fig tree growing 
luxuriantly and fruitful at the same time. This is equally true of 
those grown under glass as outside ; indeed, I have never seen a 
Fig tree in the rich soil of gardens that was other than a waste of 
soil and space, particularly where the roots had breadth and depth 
of soil practically unlimited to roam in, the branches being as care¬ 
fully restricted as the roots had liberty. In paved yards, as in 
loose fruit borders, they may be seen growing luxuriantly only to 
cast the incipient fruit untimely ; in fact, Figs seem to produce 
fruit only where its order the Nettles usually do—viz., near 
dwellings, and in banks in which nitrates form most abundantly. 
These seem essential to its health, yet vigour of growth does not 
always culminate in fruit, but generally the reverse. Still, these 
nitrates appear an essential of its existence, for when grown in 
pots the trees become enfeebled after the nitrates formed 
in compost heaps and used for potting are abstracted, but 
in fresh turf and a decomposing bed of leaves they are sustained in 
healthy fruitful vigour. Figs are most fruitful when they grow 
stoutly, and are influenced in fertility by the soluble silica or lime 
in the soil. The former appears in some soils to supply plants with 
a substitute for lime and vice versa . but apart from this Figs 
attain their highest degree of fruitfulness in soil of a calcareous 
nature. These, however, are not silicious, yet it obtains in large 
proportions in the disintegrated surface layer or deposit of soil 
over limestone and chalk. I do not know the formation on which 
the Fig thrives as a standard in Sussex, but wherever I have seen 
the Fig thriving and fruiting satisfactorily, as well as being hardy, 
it has been near buildings, and always where the debris of an old 
building had entered into the composition or been used as drainage, 
and so forming a stratum of silicious and calcareous matter. These 
(old mortar rubbish) form nitrate of lime when exposed to the air, 
and there is reason to know that bacteria form nitrate out of lime 
in the soil, so that this substance is obtained in one way or other 
by the Fig, either when planted against a wall, or more properly at 
the foot of a building, and in such positions the Fig always is 
fruitful when not subject to hard pruning, so as to cause it to make 
sappy growth. Limestone exerts a powerful influence on both the 
hardiness and fruitfulness of the Fig. In loose open rich soil, as 
well as in cold and wet clays, it is tender ; in calcareous soils it 
grows harder, more firm in the wood, stouter, shorter jointed, with 
smaller but more leathery leaves and fruits at every joint. Marl 
seems to suit it well, which contains most soluble silica of any soil, 
and oxides of iron and alumina also, along with good per-centages 
of phosphoric and sulphuric acids. The climatic conditions must, 
of course, be favourable, still soil conditions enable a plant to 
contend with disadvantages of climate in a remarkable degree, and 
in none more than the Fig. Its capriciousness in fruiting is due in 
a great measure to planting in soil too rich and deep, and in its not 
being of uniform or little fluctuating in moisture as obtains with 
the limestone and chalk formations, w’hich naturally well drained 
are highly retentive of moisture. 
What I simply washed to relate was the fruiting of the Fig as a 
bush or standard with no more shelter than that of a low wall, 
which is much overtopped in Hertfordshire. The cases that have 
come under my notice are only three, but there are no doubt many 
others in which the Fig would thrive as a standard or bush with no 
more protection than that of walls, such as obtains in this case in 
St. Albans by the low ones dividing the grounds of villa and other 
residences. In one instance the trees have not failed to ripen a 
full crop for twenty-seven years, and are scarcely pruned at all, 
merely having the old wood cut out, and irregular growths 
shortened. —G. Abbey. 
FRUIT AT DRAYCOT MANOR. 
Once during the summer I make an effort to visit my old 
friend, the gardener at Draycot, Chippenham, in each year to see 
his Grapes, which have been previously referred to in the Journal 
of Horticulture. Not because of the extent of the space given up 
to Vines am I interested, but rather in the uuorthodox system of 
culture practised. When previously noted in these pages, it came 
under the heading of “ Narrow Vine Borders,” and at the time 
stimulated several correspondents to give their opinion and 
experience, in the matter. The first border provided was only 
of small size—namely, 2 feet in width, and about 12 inches deep, 
this carrying them over the second year. In the third year 2 feet 
more soil in width was added in about the same depth, drainage 
provided took the form of a few broken bricks in a thin layer. 
Soil space is still further augmented this year in about the same or 
less proportion. 
That the provision made is satisfying to the Vines is demon¬ 
strated by their health and vigour, and the perfect finish of the 
Grapes, which are fitted for competition in first class company,, 
where they figured conspicuously in some few exhibitions last 
year. This year’s results are even more gratifying than any pre¬ 
vious, the bunches being larger as well as berries, and the colour 
superb, both Black Hamburghs and Madresfield Court, with which 
the house is mostly occupied. A Vine of Gros Colman has 
medium-sized bunches, the berries promising to swell to an un¬ 
usually large size. Another of the seldom seen Strawberry Grape 
is peculiar on account of the scent which pervades the air of the 
house, particularly in early morning. This has a place only by 
request, as it is not profitable, bunches or berries never extending 
beyond medium size. Mr. Gibson is an advocate of free and 
abundant ventilation as recently advanced by Mr. Iggulden, 
and this, too, earlier than is adopted by many growers, and there 
is no doubt but that these conditions contribute very greatly to 
perfect colouring as well as preventing splitting, so common with 
Madresfield. Not a single berry has cracked with this sort here, 
although it has the same amount of water as the rest, and from 
the moderate depth of soil it is readily understood that it is 
required often, or given about once a week. 
Manure only in liquid form is applied, and in weak doses, a tank 
connected with the garden closet being drawn upon for the purpose, 
and no mulching is used. Although disagreeable in use there can 
be no doubt in the highly fertilising powers of this application, but 
it requires to be used ciutiously. Muscats, Lady Downe’s, Alnwick 
Seedling, and Alicante fill another house ; the Alnwick, growing in 
a large pot, carries three perfectly set and useful bunches. Muscat 
of Alexandria has a rather heavy crop of nicely furnished bunches,, 
and Lady Downe’s above the average in every way. 
A large house formerly used as a stove is just being completed 
in arrangement for Vine growing to meet the increased demand 
for Grapes. The permanent rods are intended to be grown under 
the same rules as carried out so successfully in the adjoining house; 
supernumerary canes are to be planted at once in a central brick pit 
that will be allowed to fruit at once. These are now growing in 
pots, and the early August planting of these will insure their 
partial establishment before winter arrives and the leaves fall. 
The outdoor Strawberry crop has been exceedingly good, several' 
hundredweights being disposed of beyond the home supply. King 
of the Earlies, Noble, and The Captain are among the varieties 
grown, and though much cannot be said for the quality of Princess 
Frederic William, it is still retained for supplying an early dish,, 
this being two or three days earlier than Noble. Loxford Hall is a 
considerable favourite, fruits on yearling plants assuming enormous 
proportions and first-rate quality, and being firm fleshed is a good 
traveller. It is the neatest grower I have seen, requiring less room 
than most sorts in planting. Mr. Gibson intends his future planta¬ 
tions of this variety to be not more than a foot apart each way* 
Young plants are earlier in fruiting than older ones, and when two 
years or three year; old they are among the best for late use. The 
plants I saw only a few days since were in full bearing. Red 
Currants and Gooseberries on walls were laden with unusually 
large sized clusters and berries, the former mostly of the Cherry,. 
Grape, and Raby Castle kinds ; the latter of the Red Warrington-. 
Carter’s Champion and Baldwin are the only kinds of Black 
Currants grown ; these, unlike the old variety, do not shed their 
fruit directly they are ripe. The Baldwin is a most distinct 
grower, the leaves being much larger and pale green coloured, 
the berries growing very large in size. Baumforth Seedling is 
the favourite Raspberry, and is superior in flavour to Carter’s 
Prolific, bearing berries quite as large if not larger, though 
unlike it requires staking, which is the economic feature of 
Carter’s Prolific. Plums are a light or medium crop, also 
Peaches ; of these latter a tree, probably Early Beatrice, ripened' 
its first fruit the 7th of July, which clearly indicates the warm 
nature of the soil and surroundings. The soil is of a light sandy 
loam on gravel subsoil, and wall trees require watering often* 
during sunny weather, or flagging ensues. The garden is in the 
highest state of fertility from the abundant applications of manure,, 
both solid and liquid. Apple crops are very fair, but Pears some¬ 
what thin ; but this deficiency will be made up perhaps in the size 
of the fruits. 
Tomatoes under glass are disease-stricken, and those in the 
open do not grow and fruit as in former years from the inclement 
nature of the season. This latter element, too, has proved a fertile 
cause for insect pests, attacks which with many fruit crops has- 
been very troublesome and abundant. One item I have omitted in. 
