204 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 5 , 1839. 
the plants seem to thrive. By this mode of treatment red spider, thrips, 
&c., the great scourges of Fig3 in a dry atmosphere, are effectually kept 
in check. 
The assistance of fire heat is very little required for Figs during the 
summer, only on very cold nights and to assist in ripening the fruit of 
the later varieties. When the fruit is ripening air must be admitted 
rather freely, and a drier and more bracing atmosphere obtained, as 
Figs, like all other fruit, are much improved in flavour by having a brisk 
atmosphere surrounding them while ripening. 
The Fig will grow in almost any kind of soil. That, however, in 
which it seems to thrive best, and to bear the greatest abundance 
of fruit, is a pretty good yellow loam, resting on a chalky or dry 
gravelly subsoil. For pot cultivation I have found the following soil 
answer well:—Two-thirds good yellow loam to one-third lime or brick 
rubbish, with a free admixture of rotten manure, charcoal, and burnt 
ashes. When the plants are young they should have a liberal allowance 
of pot room, so as to grow them rapidly up to the required size. They 
will produce fruit, however, in a very small pot. I have fruited them 
abundantly in 6-inch pots. The most eligible size, and that which I 
should recommend as large enough for all general purposes, is the 
12-inch pot— i.e., 12 inches in diameter, in which were grown those 
exhibited. The same trees may be grown in the same pots for a great 
number of years. Our practice is to repot all the trees while they are 
at rest during winter, shaking off a great portion of the old soil, and 
shortening the roots considerably in the same way as is practised with 
Pelargoniums. During the summer, when the pots are nearly filled with 
roots, much benefit will be derived from frequently top-dressing with 
rotten manure mixed with a little loam. 
Figs while growing freely require a very liberal supply of water ; 
indeed, if the pots are tolerably full of roots they can scarcely be over¬ 
supplied. Liquid manure may also be applied with advantage. When 
the fruit is ripening, however, water must be applied more sparingly, as 
an over-dose at that time will deteriorate the flavour, and cause many 
of the fruits of the finer varieties to split open, especially in dull, cold, 
cloudy weather. Great care is therefore necessary in watering, &c., at 
this stage. 
It is an old saying that “a pruned Fig tree never bears.” It is, 
however, like many others, only half true. The Fig tree will bear any 
amount of pruning ; there is no plant more benefited by summer 
pruning— i.e., pinching off the growing shoots—than the Fig, and even 
in winter it may be pruned to any extent with impunity. It is true 
that if we cut back in winter all the shoots on which are situate the 
fruits which form the first crop, that crop will be sacrificed. We obtain, 
however, a very abundant second crop if attention be paid to the pinch¬ 
ing of the growing shoots as closely as possible during summer. While 
the trees are young and vigorous the shoots will elongate considerably 
in spite of all the pinching. These in winter should be cut back to one- 
half their length, and the same process of close pinching continued. 
As the plants grow older they will make more stubby, short, close- 
jointed wood, which in winter will not require much pruning. Of the 
trees exhibited (now eight years old) most of the largest had the half 
of their branches cut back in winter, and the other half left unpruned, 
excepting when the plant became too large ; then it was headed quite 
down, and by this means the whole of the plants were kept compact 
and of a uniform size. In summer the young shoots are pinched, first 
at from 2 to 3 inches in length, then as closely afterwards as it is pos¬ 
sible to do so. This continuous and incessant pinching induces fruitful¬ 
ness in a Fig to a very great degree. All the shoots that are pinched 
throw out one and sometimes several fruits at the axils of the leaves, 
while those not pinched more rarely do so. 
Another point of considerable importance is that of forming the 
plant on a single stem. Independently of its more handsome appear¬ 
ance, I have found such plants to be much more fruitful than where a 
multiplicity of stems are allowed. 
Lastly, with respect to the selection of varieties for cultivation. If 
pot culture is intended I would recommend considerable variety— 
firstly, because there is a charm in variety ; and, secondly, because Figs 
vary very much in flavour according to the situations or conditions 
under which they may be growing. For instance, some of the higher 
flavoured and finest Figs require much heat and bright sunshine to 
bring them to full perfection, and it may happen that these conditions 
cannot be fulfilled ; the weather may be cold and sunless, and more 
heat may be wanting than can be supplied—then some of the second- 
rate sorts surpass the better ones in flavour. Of the highest flavoured 
sorts I would select Col di Signora Blanca, Grosse Verte, and Bour- 
jassotte grise. These, however, all require considerable heat, the last 
named being perhaps the finest and most constantly good variety in the 
collection. Of the most free-fruiting kinds may be named White 
Ischia, Violette de Bordeaux, White Marseilles, and Brown Turkey ; and 
for hardy varieties—varieties suitable for cultivating in the open air 
against walls in this country—in addition to the White Marseilles and 
the Brown Turkey commonly to be met with, I would venture to re¬ 
commend the earliest of all our Figs, De la Madeleine, Grosse Violette 
de Bordeaux, and Grosse Monstrueuse de Lipari, which are all pos¬ 
sessed of the property of ‘‘first bearing”—the term used in the Fig 
countries to denote those varieties which retain and ripen off the fruit 
which is produced on the wood of the previous year’s growth. Our 
summers are in general too short to allow of the Fig ripening more 
than the first crop, so that only those varieties which are possessed of 
this property (and it is peculiar to some varieties) can be considered 
suitable for open air cultivation in this country ; but on this point, as- 
well as on many others in connection with Figs, we have much to learn. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS AT HIGH BLANTYRE. 
North of the Tweed there are several places somewhat conspicuous- 
for the rearing and cultivation of florist flowers, and one among them 
has been growing steadily in importance, beginning in the way of small 
things, and working dourly, as the Scotch say, but progressively up, is 
that of Mr. Matthew Campbell at Auchenraith. Although the writer 
has been in the neighbourhood for thirty-five years, the other day was 
the first time he was privileged to have a look in at this place, and a- 
glance sufficed to show that it is great in Carnations and Picotees, 
Pansies, Dahlias, and in Hollyhocks as well as many border flowers, 
Pyrethrums particularly. 
CARNATIONS AND PICOTEE3. 
The collection of Carnations and Picotees was particularly note¬ 
worthy, as they were in the height of flower, and I would elect to speak 
of some of them in detail. The more prominent of them were Paen, 
heavy red-edged; Robert Scott; Becky Sharp, heavy purple-edged ; 
Thomas Millar, one of the most beautiful of the group, with the lacing 
as if almost artificial ; Dodwell’s Lena ; Mr. Campbell; Muriel, very 
showy ; Nellie, extra fine ; Purple Prince ; Mr. Payne ; J. B. Bryant ; 
Zerlina; Mr. Sharp ; and Red Brae Seedling, with a splendid constitu¬ 
tion, forming an excellent breeder. 
In Carnations, among the scarlet and crimson bizarres, there was- 
nothing more effective than Admiral Curzon, Master Fred, Robert 
Houlgrave, Joseph Lakin, and ffm. Bacon, although this one shows 
signs of sporting. In pink and purple bizarres the most marked among 
them were Sarah Payne, Thomas Anstiss, E. S. Dodwell, Wm. Skirving, 
remarkably strong and fine, and Sir Garnet Wolseley. Among pink, 
and purple flakes George Melville stands at the head of the list. 
President of Magdalen, Squire Meynell, James Douglas, Florence 
Nightingale, Mayor of Nottingham, Juno, and Dr. Foster. In scarlet 
and rose flakes, Thalia, Sybil, Crista Galli, John Ball, Mr. Symonds, 
George Lamb, Matador, Tom Lord, Jupiter, Ivanhoe, Henry Cannell, 
A. Holmes, Madge Wildfire, and Meg Merrilies were noteworthy flowers. 
Unfortunately many of the varieties have a tender habit, but throw 
up much “ grass,” and in time die out. The great object in the raiser 
of the present day is to encourage a good constitution. Some of 
Mr. Douglas’ seedlings which we saw here have much of that feature- 
about them, showing that the raiser has striven for this desirable 
quality. 
The gem, undoubtedly, of the whole collection is Mrs. Muir, a pure 
white Carnation, twice the size of any of its compeers we compared it 
with, and having a fine shell petal, but forms into a flower of model 
form—the acme of the ra’ser. In respect of comparison Nellie Ander¬ 
son is nowhere, nor Boule de Neige, nor the Duchess of Connaught, nor 
Snowflake. It is a veritable giant among selected Carnations, bearing 
stems about 3 feet high, and flowers branching from seven to nine on 
each main stem. This is by no means usual even among the grosser 
growing.bizarre and flaked forms. The patch at Auchenraith was worth 
a day’s journey to see. The raiser of it was the late John Muir, Car¬ 
luke, who has left a widow and family, and Mr, Campbell avers that 
the whole of the proceeds of some 600 p'ants he has to dispose of he 
will hand over to the widow. I think Mr. Dodwell had a plant of it 
last year, and can speak of it from his own knowledge. There are 
twelve very large seedling beds, each 4 feet across, just one mass of 
showy flowers. The vigour was such as to put out of. court the beds 
of the named new selected varieties. As showing how variable some 
seedlings are from others, it may be mentioned that seed taken from 
Penshurst Yellow, in two rows, reproduced a very mixed progeny 
with only a couple or so of yellow seedlings, -while another row 
sown with seed taken from George Melville was very little sportive 
from the parent. Some of the flowers in this group are bound to take 
a position someday—one large scarlet bizarre particularly, measuring 
about 4 inches across, being splendid in petal, in substance, and in 
general outline. Out of this batch are bound to be picked some 
noteworthy crimson and ruby seifs, one of the latter being excellent. 
DAHLIAS. 
Dahlias are grown in large quantities, comprising Pompon, Cactus, 
and Show, and show that from first to finish in the growth of the season 
their w'ants have been thoroughly appreciated and met. Of course they 
are the gourmands of outdoor plant life, not even the Brobdignagian. 
vegetables that we occasionally see eating so much manure in every 
way, but drinking abundantly of the moisture that is poured into them, 
which, fortunately for Mr. Campbell, is not far to seek here. The 
plants, unlike many places, are not overthinned of wood, but the 
flowers are grand—very grand—now, and will be up to the arrival of 
frost. It appears that for cut flower purposes the ladies have taken 
to the Cactus-form rather even than the single, and if there be one of 
that class more captivating than another it is the fine scarlet and white 
— as bright as a Carnation in fact—Wm. T. Abery. The maroon 
Empress of India is also excellent; Asia is a fine blush white ; Amphion 
a fine large buff, and Honoria. These are the chief among the 
novelties, although there are scores meriting commendation. Among 
Show Dahlias standing out prominently among their fellows for the day 
were Primrose, Mrs. James Greig, Mr. Peter McKenzie, a fine shaded 
crimson ; Wm. Garrick, possibly the largest and best crimson in cultiva- 
