The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-08

In selecting varieties dudpldpie w
Florida it is preferable to be guided
By those who have for many years
made it their business. Our lea'llns
l,urserymen are we'll equipped with
leading varieties proven to be best
suited to our climatic conditions and
soils,and are ready and willing at
ell times to proffer their advice. and
So stimulate the iudnstry Of fig Gull
turein the State.
The Brunswick, Black and Green
Ischia and Brown Turkey are all
desirable varieties, hardy, prolific
and come into bearing early. The
Green Ischia is particularly choice
scrt. But the real business fig for
Florida is the Celeste. or excellent
quality, it is one of the hardest, an.l
is equally desirable in fresh state
or for preserving and canning. The
fruit is somewhat small, but very
rich and sweet land is borne in pro-
| fusion. A new fig, the Leon, in
! troduced in the trade by the Glen
St. Mary nurseries, has great posi-
| Lilities, and has been successfully
grown for a considerable time in
Western Florida. This is 4 purely
F;oridian iig,aS it originated at Tai
! lahassee IS Seeding from the seed
OF Smyrna.
Propagation OF the fig is very read
| is made from cuttings. using well
v.pened wood of the season growth.
about is feet apart each way is the
best distance to plant, though some
varieties can be planted as close as
l.. feet, but this latter distance and
sometimes even with the former,
thinning out may have to be resort
, cd to eventually, when the trees
commence to cvercrowd. Cultivation
is necessary in the early ctages of
growth Immediately around the
tree. and a leguminous cover crop,
heggarweed or cowpeas, should be
annually sown. Like the peach, the
fig tree should not be allowed to run
toe much to wood or leaves and fer
tilizers should consequently be mea-
ere in ammonia or nitrogen, but
rich in phosphoric acid and potash.
The fig likes moisture, but not in
excess The land should consequent
ly be we'll drained, and II, during "a
drought, irrigation Is necessary,
great care must be taken not to over
DO 1t, else fruit sour" might set In,
which is the fermentation of the
fruit on the trees. with the Coz
qrent loss Of the crop. ii
Upon the type Of soil depends
largely the variety Of fig to- be
grown. but no figs will prosper on u
poor soil. 1t may be light AMI por-
GUS, but 1t must be rich in plaAt
food. A good mulch" recommend
cd by one Of our leading authorities
in Florida is one composed of brick
hats AMI old tin cans. This sounds
like a joke. but it Is not. being CIV
CT in all seriousness as a preven-
tive against nematodes, the worm
causing the root-knot trouble. What
the exact theory Of the brick-bats.
Otc.. may be do not know. but per-
sonally would advocate. in the
case Of root-knot appearing or being
suspected, an injection in the soil
OF bisulphide of carbon at the rate
OF about ounce to every 4.S9 yards
the injection to be made about two
feet from the tree AS a rule, how.
ever, fig trees are fairly free fron.
disease or pests.
The trees come into bearing very
early. generally the second year, and
keep ripening over u long period.
With a proper selection of varieties
fruit can be secured from June to
November.
The fig of commerce is the dried
fig, but doubt whether this branch
ol the in5uctry is practical for Flor
ida. In the fist place, our summers
ire too moist. The fig must be sun
dried, spread out in the sun and al
lowed to remain for two or three
days. If the atmosphere is dry:
should the night dews be heavy this
period would have to be extended to
from five to seven days, while a
shower OF rain Ca certainty during
tie summer months in Florida)
would ruin the fruit just at the most
critical moment. Atmospheric con-
ditions are the prime factors in sue
cessful fig drying. Secondly, labor
conditions as they exist over here
render 1t practically impossible to
even consider tig-drying as an at
t;,inable industry.
But fresh-fg preserving is an in
Il CGStry omen and noseihla IN oil T.,