Chap. 19.] VARIETIES OF THE FIG. 307 



from the floor. Grapes are effectually protected against the 

 attacks of wasps by "being sprinkled with oil 43 * spirted .from the 

 mouth. Of palm-dates we have already spoken. 44 



CHAP. 19. (18.) TWEXTY-XIXE VARIETIES OF THE FIG. 



Of ail the remaining fruits that are included under the 

 name of " pomes," the fig 45 is the largest : some, indeed, equal 

 the pear, even, in size. We have already mentioned, while 

 treating of the exotic fruits, the miraculous productions of 

 Egypt and Cyprus 46 in the way of figs. The fig of Mount 

 Ida 47 is red, and the size of an olive, rounder however, and 

 like a medlar in flavour ; they give it the name of Alex- 

 andrian in those parts. The stem is a cubit in thickness ; it is 

 branchy, has a tough, pliant wood, is entirely destitute of all 

 milky juice, 48 and has a green bark, and leaves like those of the 

 linden tree, but soft to the touch. Onesicritus states that in 

 Hyrcania the figs are much sweeter than with us, and that the 

 trees are more prolific, seeing that a single tree will bear as 

 much as two hundred and seventy modii 49 of fruit. The fig 

 has been introduced into Italy from other countries, Chalcis 

 and Chios, for instance, the varieties being very numerous : 

 there are those from Lydia also, which are of a purple colour, 

 and the kind known as the " mamillana," 50 which is very 

 similar to the Lydian. The callistruthise are very little supe- 

 rior to the last in flavour ; they are the coldest by nature of 

 all the figs. As to the African fig, by many people preferred 

 to any other, it has been made the subject of very consider- 

 able discussion, as it is a kind that has been introduced very 

 recently into Africa, though it bears the name of that country. 



with which it adheres. In all these methods, little attention would seem 

 to be paid to the retention of the flavour of the fruits. 



43 * A detestable practice, Fee says, as the oil makes an indelible mark 

 on the grape, and gives it an abominable flavour. It Is the best method 

 to put the fruit in bags of paper or hair. 



44 See B. xiii. c. 19. 



45 There are about forty varieties now known. 



40 B. xiii. c. 14, 15. These are the Ficus sycomorus of Linnasus. 



47 In Troas ; called the Alexandrian fig, from the city of Alexandria 

 there. Fee doubts if this was really a fig, and suggests that it might be 

 the fruit of a variety of Diospyros. 



48 No fig-tree now known is destitute of this. 



49 Fee treats this as an exaggeration. 



50 From " mamilla," a teat. 



x 2 



