ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



XXII. — On the Caprification of the Fig. By Professor 

 Gasparrini. 



[Translated fi'om the Italian.] 



The Roj'al Academy of Sciences of Naples proposed as the 

 subject of an Essay — 



1. To examine the opinions of authors on caprification, above 

 all those of Cavolini and Gallesio, and to see what were the 

 merits of the ideas and experiments of these men. 



2. To describe the varieties of figs, those especially on which 

 caprification is practised. 



3. To prove by experiment or on anatomical or physiological 

 grounds whether the fertilisation of the seeds is effected by the 

 insect of the caprifig, or whether the insect produces no such 

 effect and caprification be useless. 



4. The Essay was to be accompanied by figures representing 

 the varieties of fig on wliich the experiments are made, and the 

 structure of their organs of fecundation and fructification. 



Gasparrini's memoir in reply is divided into four parts. The 

 first contains a detailed physiological account of the caprifig 

 and its diflPerent varieties, which he considers not only specifically 

 but generically distinct from the cultivated fig; including a de- 

 tailed history of the fly bred in its fruits. 



The second is a similar account of the eatable figs cultivated 

 about Naples. 



The third here translated relates specially to caprification. 



The fourth is a botanical comparison of the fig, the caprifig, 

 and some exotic species. 



§ 1. Historical Notes on the Subject. — Herodotus informs us 

 in his histories that the Babylonians knew of old that there were 

 male and female date-trees, and that the female required the 

 concurrence of the male to become fertile. This fact was also 

 known to the Egyptians, to the Phenicians, and to other nations 

 of Asia and Africa. The ancients were acquainted, moreover, 

 with several circumstances proved by experience relative to the 

 diversity of sexes in plants like the one just mentioned of the 

 date-tree, and among these dioecious plants they distinguished 

 tlie female as being the one that bore fruit. And in other cases 

 where they suspected a diversity of sexes, not having any fixed 

 rule or sufficient science to guide them, they judged merely by 

 externa] fades, by medicinal virtues, or by other such fallacious 

 or slight indications. If it may not indeed at all times have 

 been universally believed that all things endowed with senses or 



VOL. III. o 



