208 ON THE CAPEIFICATION OF THE FIG. 



was always observed ; and I am of opinion that a fig-tree, 

 whether caprified or not, always loses the number of fruits it is 

 destined to lose, from whatever cause, either its own tempera- 

 ment or external causes, and that the deciduous ones fall the 

 more readily from the flies having penetrated into the cavity and 

 induced decay and mould, and it may happen even that on this 

 account many a fruit falls which might otherwise have consoli- 

 dated itself and ripened. As to the permanent fruits which had 

 the fly, I think that from their size, strength, and vigour they had 

 been enabled to resist the effects of it, especially where it remained 

 caught among the scales of the mouth ; but as soon as they com- 

 mence ripening they rot very easily, the flavour becoming affected. 



But as in all our researches and experiments we have been 

 unable to discover any reason in the world why the caprifig fly 

 should render the deciduous fruits of the domestic fig permanent, 

 or hasten their maturity, and as it cannot be denied that some 

 varieties lose every year a great many, others very few, and that 

 some ripen earlier, it would be desirable to know how this 

 happens ; and this question I will now shortly discuss. 



§ 14. For wliat reason does the July Fig commence ripening 

 some days earlier than the others ? 



Of this fact I see chiefly three causes. First the tree shoots out 

 some days sooner than other varieties ; secondly, it puts out but 

 few or only very small early figs, which fall off very soon ; thirdly, 

 the yoiuig branches do not lengthen much and grow pretty 

 equally, throwing out scarcely any coarse watery shoots. It 

 follows naturally that vegetation commencing early, the flowers 

 are also formed early, and the nutritive juices not being taken for 

 the spring figs, nor drawn away to the extremities of the branches, 

 are directed in greater abundance to the summer figs. What is 

 there then surprising in their ripening a few days earlier than 

 other varieties ? The contrary effect is observed in the absence of 

 any one of the above circumstances. The winter fig produces few 

 small and deciduous early flowers, the growth of the branches is 

 rather weak than otherwise, yet vegetation being about a fortnight 

 later than in the Dottato and other figs, that is enough to occasion 

 its fruit to ripen late. The Colombro, worn out by the quantity 

 of early figs which attain maturity, produces late in the season 

 only a few late ones, and those usually fall off unripe, either all 

 or the greater part of them ; indeed that the vigorous growth 

 of new branches retards the ripening of fruit can be proved by 

 this, that if their ends are pinched off, the ripening will take 

 place much earlier. 



§ 15. For what reasons do the White and Dottato Figs carry 

 their fruits better than the otliers? 



On this occasion an important question ought, if possible, to be 



