176 



THE FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES OF MOROCCO. 



exceedingly rich, sweet, and nutritious. The 

 natives are said to live almost wholly upon 

 them in the regions where they are produced ; 

 and who could ask for more luscious or luxu- 

 rious food ? I have a young Palm tree in my 

 garden, which was sent me from Eabet, but 

 whether it will also turn out to be barren, re- 

 mains to be seen. Dates sell in this market 

 at from 10 to 15 cents per pound. 



The Fig. — This most delicious fruit is 

 produced in great abundance, and to great 

 perfection. Go where you will, from the pa- 

 tio of the humble dwelling in the city, to the 



Fig. 5S.— Green Fig- 



gardsn of the suburb, or upon the fertile 

 plain, or the rugged hill-side, or the rocky 

 mountain-top — you will see this -ancient ten- 

 ant of the garden of Eden, throwing out its 

 scraggy, drooping branches, covered with its 

 broad leaves of glowing verdure, aifording a 

 luxurious shade for man and beast, from the 

 fierce rays of the scorching sun, as well as 

 food to appease the appetite, and that too. of 



the most delicious and refreshing kind. 



You will perceive by the drawing above, 

 that the figs produced here are of extraordi- 

 nary size. With most kinds of fruit, the 

 largest are apt to be coarser, and not of as rich 

 a flavor as the medium or smaller size ; not so 

 with thse figs. I have never tasted more de- 

 licious fruit of the kind than these same sam- 

 ples from which these drawings were taken ; 

 and they were selected promiscuously from 

 the desert-dish of our breakfixst table. 



From the first of June until the last of au- 

 tumn, we have the fresh fig in all its luxuri- 

 ous varieties — large and small, green, black, 

 and wine-colored ; on breaking them open, 

 when fully ripe, the jellied juic6 drops from 

 them like the purest honey, and quite as lux- 

 urious ; it is the nectar of Pomonia. They 

 are wholesome as well as nutricious — but few 

 of them are ever dried — I believe the main 

 reason to be, because, where every one has a 

 plenty of fresh fruit, at all seasons, few think 

 of preserving for future use. The dried figs 

 from the country, brought in by the Arabs, 

 are not very good — care is not taken to select 

 the best, nor to keep them clean. 



The first appearance of the young fig in the 

 spring, is very singular and unique. As early 

 as February or March, and before a single 

 leaf or bud begins to appear upon the tree 

 the young fruit is seen springing out at the 

 extremity of the several branches and lateral 

 boughs, in regular shape, though small, — 

 without waiting, like most kinds of fruit, for 

 the complimentary ceremony of being ushered 

 into being in the wake of the usual floral pio- 

 neer. This appearance, however, although 

 singularly interesting, is not, I presume, pe- 

 culiar to the fig of this country. In trees of 

 later bearing, or in the second or third crop, 

 which is often produced upon the same tree, 

 during the season, the fruit does not appear 

 until the leaves are fully developed ; sometimes 

 the fifrs continue to start out after the leaves 



