The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-06-11
THE FARMER.

hA@hlkn@ grows m@Ec Eo1AAAN h@Mh
the grape vine and fg tree in this
latitude. 1t is strange that there
are 50 few fig trees in the middle
and northern states. In Norfolk,
Va, fig treess are planted in the
yards in front of the houses, and
1the fruit can often be Pulled by those
who pass along the sidewalks The
farther south we 60 the more ne
trees we see. They are almost too
tender for the northern climate, but
with a little care they can easily be
raised. Probably it would be best
10 call them bushes" for in the
north they must be kept down to
bushes.
The fg trees grow from a cut
ting. All that is necessary is 70
clip a young sheet about foot
long from the parent tree and stick
it into the ground. 1t should be
pushed down until the top is even
with the surface. No part Of any
cutting, whether fg or grape OF
willsw, should be allowed to remain
above the ground. Before the hard
frOsts come the twig must be bent
down 70 the ground and fastened ts
a peg with a string and then cover
over with leaves or lsose dirt. In
the spring they must be uncovered
aud pushed mp int place. Thi.
bending don't hurt in the least, and
even If the stalk cracks and splits il
will recover from the wound. This
hard usage prevents it from grow
ing into q tree, and that is what is
desired. IL wsuld be impossible to
protect a large tree from the win
ter freezing.
Care must be taken to uncover
the bushes in the spring before they
begin to sprout 1t is better to turn
them out too soon than too late.
They will stand a little frost. In
the south the figs ripen in June.
Even in the nSrth two crops can be
grown, but there is not time enough
for the second crop to ripen. The
fret Crews on the stem that has
been bent down and covered, from
buds that were formed during the
previous autumn. The second crop
grows from the new sheets that
come out in the spring. In Florida
where the seasons is long enough
for the figs that grow on in the
the spring shoot to ripen, the bushes
should be cut of close to the ground
every autumn.
The dried figs that are sold in eur
markets mostly come from Smyrna.
and are generally call Smyrna figs.
When people write 20 the agrieul-
tural department for q cutting they
nearly always ask for "the Smyrna
fig" There is no such fig to be
found in the nursery catalogues.
There are a good many varieties Of
figs raised in Smyrna. The best
variety that has been Propagated in
the gardens Ofthe agricultural de-
partment Is the Brown Turket, )"
also call the Brunswick" some Of
them grow as large as coed sized
Bartlett pears. There are good
many other varieties.
Domestic figs have not much com
mcrcial value. The art of drying
them is not well understood in this
country, and the climate Is not suit
able, there being teO much moisture
in the air. In Spain figs are dried
in large trays mounted on trucks
They pushed out into the sun in the
morning, and pushed back under
cover at night. They take up mois-
ture like a sponge. The green fig
will not keep any length Of time,
and is generally eaten where it is
raised. They are estimated delicious
BY these who are used to them, but
strangers often find them unpalat-
able, Some experiments have been
made in canning the green fruit
with highly satisfactory results.
The bushes do best on gravelly,
well drained soil that is rather poor
In rich ground the growth is too
rapid, and the fruit is not so good
An excellent plan is to plant the
tree in poor ground, and when the
fruit is coming forward treat the
roots TO a bucket Of liquid manure.
Altogether the tx crop adds nothing
TO the wealth Of the country, and it
i not likely ever to become of great
commercial value, yet it is n deIi~
cious fruit, aud in the south partie-
ularly It helps to leugthsn out the
list Of domestic luxuries. Cuttings
must be applied for at the agricul-
turai department during the winter
m oRths
While potatoes need very rich
soil they are injured by the free use
Of rank new stable manure. A soil