September 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 
295 
dom, or rather in those counties which possess a 
greater amount of atmospheric moisture, as related 
to temperature, than their neighbours. There can he 
little doubt that the leaf of the fig possesses vast ab¬ 
sorbing powers, and hence the astonishment of many 
persons, who have not thoroughly considered the 
subject, at finding their figs too gross in what they 
had considered poor soil. Their vital powers, too, 
are immense ; we once planted some old truncheons 
which had lain at the faggot heap through many 
weeks of a hard winter, when very many of the figs 
growing against walls were killed. Now, these figs 
grew well, and, indeed, are still thriving too fast by 
half, on a wall out of doors. We advise one more 
critical examination of the fig immediately; for where 
they grow coarse, and have been neglected for a few 
weeks, they will he found too full of spray of a flimsy 
and immature character, which proves a serious im¬ 
pediment to the ripening of both wood and fruit. 
In selecting those to remain, be sure to save the 
very shortest-jointed shoots; everything depends on 
a pertinacious adherence to this maxim, which is of 
equal importance in the case of the fig as the vine. 
It must be remembered, nevertheless, that not too 
many even of these must be retained; not he who 
retains the most good-looking shoots obtains the most 
figs. We have, indeed, seen cases in which a huge 
old tree against a south wall will produce a multitude 
of short-jointed shoots, of such a stumpy and fruitful 
character that six or seven joints would be comprised 
within the length of about four inches, which, indeed, 
was the average length of the young shoots. When 
such is the case, a considerable number may be re¬ 
tained, for the leaves of many figs when in so highly 
a fruitful state are not so large as those on gross and 
barren plants, and, of coursi, do not shade each 
other so much. We consider that as many shoots 
may be tied down as will completely clothe the old 
stems from bottom to top. We speak now of tying 
down on the main stems, for we hold this the best 
plan; those, however, who choose to nail them be¬ 
tween, can do so, for the difference as to the fig is 
scarcely worth contending about, the amount and cha¬ 
racter of the young shoots reserved being of far more 
importance. As to number of shoots, that depends, 
in part, on the distance at which the main shoots are 
placed ; if these are, as we have before advised, a foot 
apart at least, why then there is every chance of 
laying in a considerable quantity. We would advise 
the operator to begin at the top of the tree, and com¬ 
mence selecting shoots according to the character 
heretofore laid down, and when the first is tied down, 
and its point pinched off —of which more shortly— 
then another may be selected close to the very spot 
where the pinching of the former took place, and 
so on downwards, stripping all those away entirely 
which are considered superfluous. All small, weak, 
and immature looking spray, of later growth, must 
be rubbed off. This severe course of operation will 
naturally astonish those who are taking in the mere 
alphabet of horticulture; for such a severe course of 
discipline would go far towards ruining the consti¬ 
tution of some of our more delicate fruit; the fig, 
however, has such extraordinary vital powers, that 
its total destruction is not easily accomplished. 
£ Having said thus far about training, selection, &c., 
we come now to another important part of fig culture, 
viz., “ stopping.” Such fig trees as wo have described, 
a3 possessing a host of short joints in a very narrow 
compass, and which are fruitful without interference, 
need not this process : these, however, are the excep¬ 
tion—wo have the rule to deal with, It is well, there¬ 
fore, to stop all those of a doubtful character at the 
end of August, or the very beginning of September, 
merely pinching off or squeezing flat the terminal 
growing point. This will induce the fruit for the 
ensuing year to commence forming, so as to receive 
a decisive character. This stopping, however, is a 
matter of some nicety, and the period of performing it 
must be determined both by the kind and its condi¬ 
tion or habit. A too early stopping with some figs, 
which are not very difficult to fruit, would cause them 
to develop the fruit for the ensuing year too early; 
for if they become as large even as a black currant 
berry, they will be almost sure to perish with severe 
weather in the ensuing winter. Stopping, therefore, 
is a matter of some nicety, and had better be per¬ 
formed over late than early. These things accom¬ 
plished, little more remains to be done to the figs 
except gathering the ripening fruit; their ripeness is 
readily known by their pulpiness, which may be as¬ 
certained in a momont by the slightest pressure ima¬ 
ginable. 
Storing Apples. —Having adverted to the gather¬ 
ing of apples, and the general principles of manage¬ 
ment consequent on housing them, we may now bo 
permitted to remark on the general modes of storing 
them. Every one has not the convenience of an ex¬ 
tensive and well-planned fruit-room, and not every 
fruit-room will hold the stores which propitious sea¬ 
sons will yield. Some other mode, therefore, must 
be adopted besides putting a single layer on shelves, 
which mode is scarcely to be expected with any other 
than first-rate dessert fruit: although right in prin¬ 
ciple, it is not of universal application, and expedients 
here become positive virtues. 
Seeing, then, that such fruit as apples—and even 
pears—must be stored in bodies like potatoes, what 
is the best plan to preserve them ? Exclusion of 
air is a well-known principle, but then there is the 
fermentation to fight against. It would appear that, 
before pitting apples or putting them away in boxes, 
tubs, &c.,some sweating should be previously allowed; 
for since the apple, and, perhaps, most other fruits, 
perspire more during the first three weeks after hous¬ 
ing than at any subsequent period, it becomes an im¬ 
portant consideration whether or not a considerable 
amount of perspiratory matter cannot be freely voided, 
previously to the final storing, with ultimate benefit 
to the fruit. We certainly have never “ pitted” them 
as people pit potatoes, yet we have known it done 
within our ken, and the only impression left on our 
mind is that apples will keep fresh in appearance 
much longer than if permitted to perspire freely, and, 
by consequence, shrivel on shelves or floors. 
We do think that the old plan of placing a layer 
or two on a floor in some corner of an outhouse, then 
a thin layer of well-dried straw to prevent contact, 
then another layer, and so on, is about as good a 
plan for ordinary purposes as can be devised. To be 
sure, if kiln-dried straw can be obtained so much the 
better ; fresh straw being both apt to impart flavour 
and to engender or foster damp. 
By such a plan layers of carefully-gathered apples 
will keep a long time, at least those of keeping pro¬ 
perties ; taking care to put a layer of the straw or 
even fern, or such material, if thoroughly dry, between 
every layer of apples, not more than two or three 
deep. The room in which they are placed should 
receive as much ventilation at times as will serve to 
dispel the moisture arising from them, and which, 
otherwise, would remain partially suspended in the 
room, to the deterioration or rather corruption of the 
walls, floor, cielings, and even the fruit, and the straw 
