Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-18
FiR Growing.

1t is strange that in a country where
| this delicious fruit grows in the highest
perfection 50 little attention is given TO
its cultivation, and that, in spite Of the
line essays on liz culture which have gone
through the press within the past few
few years. Not one farmer in ten in
Georgia, Florida or South Carolina has
even SO much as one fig tree on his prem
ises, when, in fact, they viii flourish in
his fence corners and enable him TO util-
lie many spots Of rich mouldy soil about
the place scarcely anything else could
occupy with profit, This is, perhaps,
owing 10 the great resources of the cOun-
try. Where there are so many varieties
OF fruits produced, the neglect of one is
scarcely felt aud does not attract atten-
tiOn; but the Southern farmer should be
alive TO all his resources and in this in
stance, probably, underestimate its
value. Aa Illinois farmer recently pub
lished his ability to furnish plants and
Instruct his neighbors on fig culture in
the North, asserting that they will grow
there Just as well as in the South? We
know this to be untrue, but the effort to
raise them in the North should give US a
valuable hint. If it Will pay, as stated,
TO raise them IN the North under almost
dollhouse management, hog much better
viii it pay here with no management at
all? With the invention of patent dryers
the crops can now be saved and Georgia
and Florida ought to I'LL the country with
the best Cried figs in the world. There is
no fruit more bealthful and profitable, and
they should be raised insufficient guam
tity to bring down the prices for common
use.
New England has Keen eating Georgia
dried figs for breakfast for more than half
a century, but we venture that not one
Georgian in one hundred is aware of that
fact, showing how few have ever given
any attention to the matter. The dried
fruit is highly esteemed, but the fresh is
regarded as far superior 10 it, and now
that we have safe and rapid transpOrta-
ton, there is no reason why we should
not give our old customers a taste of the
genuine article fresh from the Garden Of
Eden. Even if the tender delicacy Of the
fruit would not bear transportation as far
as New EuGiNltls lu-AC dAG ALIiitLS VI
people between here and there who, doubt
less, possess just as good taste and would
be delighted to see cur refrigerator cars
turning out at .Aeir fruit depots success
i've cargoes of fresh Georgia tigs.
Cuttings may be taken and put out all
through the winter and will generally be-
gin bearing the second year. They should
be taken from the extremitiss of fruit
bearing branches and not from water
sprouts or suckers around the root or
body of the tree, and should not be longer
than eight to ten inches, set sloping in
moderately fertile, half sandy, moist soil.
After growing one year in the trenches
take up the now well-rooted plants and
set out where desired, 80 feet apart in
rows, If the ground is to be wholly given
to them. If the trees are to be trained up
to grow large, prune to the desired num-
Der Of large branches and keep down the
suckers from the roots, as these not only
prevent the growth of a single large tree
hint Greatly raduco its fruitiDg caDacitV