Fig Watercolors from USDA Pomological Collection. 9.24.2020

 These are from the USDA Pomological watercolor website.  

They have this introductory statement

"USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection is one of the most unique collections in the Rare and Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library (NAL). As a historic botanical resource, it documents new fruit and nut varieties, and specimens introduced by USDA plant explorers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection spans the years 1886 to 1942. The majority of the paintings were created between 1894 and 1916. The plant specimens represented by these artworks originated in 29 countries and 51 states and territories in the U.S. There are 7,497 watercolor paintings, 87 line drawings, and 79 wax models created by approximately 21 artists. Lithographs of the watercolor paintings were created to illustrate USDA bulletins, yearbooks, and other publications distributed to growers and gardeners across America. "

They have the following attribution requirement. 

 "Use of the images in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection is not restricted, but a statement of attribution is required. Please use the following attribution statement: "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705" 

The "Royal Black" fig original had the following notation:

"Mr. Tassa, living at 631 Maryland Ave., S.W. has brown, white, and black fig varieties said to have been brought from Italy in about 1894 by his brother who lived near Pennsylvania Ave. and 2nd Street, N.W. The black fig resembles this drawing. A son of this brother who imported the figs lives at 1365 Meridian Place, N.W., and has two fig trees. of the "black" variety growing on the premises of a house owned by him at 1368(?) Meridian Place (opposite side of street, next to alley). H.R. Fulton, August, 1942"

I did some minor editing.  My eyes need a little sharpening and color enhancement, and I removed some extra border so the images would be larger.  The watermark is automatic.

Edit:  I made some changes to this post for clarity, and improved the photo uploads.  9.25.2020

Vintage German Fig Illustration from Vintage Printable. 9.24.2020

 Vintage Printable provides public domain illustrations for download.  I doctored this one a little, croppin extraneous border, and modifying the color for clarity.

Celeste Figs. 9.24.2020

 This is the first crop ever for my Celeste fig tree.  This was grown from a cutting.  Celeste is a historic Southern variety.  Some of the references say it won't bear in the Maritime Pacific Northwest, but they were written before climate change started accelerating.  With a warmer season, maybe it will.

This tree is about 5 years from rooting the cutting.  The breba crop fell off, but these main crop figs, while small, are so sweet and rich!  And there are a few bowls full.  

Celeste is also called "The Sugar Fig".  Good name, these are very sweet.  The darker figs usually have the richest flavor, and these are no exception.

Nerine. 9.24.2020

 I had these in a container that I overwintered in the garage, for about 10 years.  Last winter I planted them in my garden.  They survived last winter, which was mild, and the summer, which was dry.  Now it's blooming.  Very nice.  My great aunt Emma had "Surprise Lilies", which are quite similar but I can never get them to grow here.

We'll see if these Nerine survive this winter.  They are nice, but I'm not up to digging them up and storing them.

New Raised Bed Is Completed. 9.24.2020

 This is the first of a planned three new raised beds.  The old ones, made from fir 2 x 6's, are starting to deteriorate.  They have also tended to sink with time, so the lowest 2 x 6's no longer show above ground / mulch level.  I've been building up the soil in them for 8 years, and that is nice.  Everything grows very well in them.  The old beds are also not where I want them now.

I felt a sense of urgency about the first one.  I want it for garlic, which grows very nicely for me in raised beds, better than in the ground.   Also, it needs to be fenced.  Herbivores eat most of my garlic if I leave it unprotected.

This new method makes a bit larger bed from the same size planks, compared to my old method.  My older bed has also sunk quite a bit.  So,  I bought 1/2 yard of topsoil to mix with the original raised bed soil.   At first I was adding the new topsoil to the bottom level, but then I decided it would be better to mix it all together.  Some is uneven but I think it's mostly mixed.  The new topsoil mix is gummy when wet, whereas my mix crumbles somewhat.  Not knowing where that topsoil came from, or what might be in it, I supplemented it.  After mixing together the old and new soil, I added about an inch of aged compost from my yard - a year or two old - and spread a cup of dolomite lime over the entire bed, then turned it a few times with a shovel, and tilled a couple of times with a hand held "claw" tiller tool that I liked.  Then I raked it fairly smooth.

It's been raining, so the soil management was not perfect, but I wanted to get it done.  Maybe I should let the amended soil cure and age and settle a little before planting the garlic, but I might get started soon anyway.  I usually plant it about now.