10 



The Journal of Heredity 





.^^'^ 



X 



FLowKit (n nil: 1 1<; 



'I'lif "fruit" consists virtually of a clustt-r 

 of these flowers turned inside out. 

 The flower has a long bottle-neck- 

 style; hence the fig-wasj) has to have 

 a very long ovij)ositor, as shown in 

 the preceding drawing, in order to 

 deposit her egg in the ovary of the 

 flower, indicated in outline at the 

 base. (Fig. 5.) 



needs of tlic insect. As compared with 

 I lie normal female flower the pistil of 

 the gall flower has been greatly short- 

 ened so that the caijrifig insect with its 

 short ovipositor is able to reach the 

 ovary. The sycamore insect, on the 

 other hand, h:ise\'olved a longoviixxsitor 

 and no modiiication is apjoarent in the 

 length of the i)istils of the Sycamore 

 (lowers. 



As we have seen, the sycamore does 

 not produce seed in Egy])t, and as it 



has no means of natural vegetative 

 reproduction, it depends entirely upon 

 human agencies for its perpetuation. 

 Projxigation is efifected entirely by 

 means of cuttings. The tree is of quick 

 growlh, but for its full develo])ment 

 it requires plenty of moisture. 



When it has become sufflciently old 

 to bear fruit, the fellaheen make a 

 ring around the trunk by beating the 

 bark with a wooden club. A fresh ring 

 is made each year in the month of 

 January, just above the ring of the 

 previous year. This goes on year after 

 year until the entire trunk and larger 

 branches wear the scarred appearance 

 so characteristic of the tree in Egyjjt. 

 The treatment is sttp]:)osed to make the 

 tree bear more almndanlly than other- 

 wise. 



When the fruit is fifteen to twenty 

 days old, a hole \Yz to 2 cm. in diam- 

 eter is made at the top or in the side 

 of the fig. In Cairo district the hole 

 is circular in sha])e and is made with 

 a s]jecial instrument. This is a ring 

 of flat iron attached to a handle about 

 6 cm. long. Expert workmen are able 

 to use a cutter in each hand. 



In the provinces, the holes are often 

 made longitudinally with an ordinary 

 knife. The operation of cutting the 

 figs is done by men who are called 

 "gemamzia." Woinen are sometimes 

 emi)loyed also. Both men and women 

 become most expert in climbing the 

 trees and they often remind one of the 

 scenes depicted on the ancient monu- 

 ments showing monkeys among the 

 branches of the trees. Thase animals 

 are sujjposed to have been trained in 

 olden times to gather the frtiit and throw 

 it to the men below. 



At Cairo the fruits of the first crop 

 are ojx'rated upon in the early morning, 

 but in the case of the two succeeding 

 cro])S, when the weather is hot the 

 operation is carried out in the late 

 afternoon. The work extends over a 

 period of two to three dav's for each 

 crop, and the fruit is ready for gathering 

 four or five days after the holes have 

 l)een made. In the Cairo district the 

 figs of the third and following crojjs 

 are not eaten, but in the i)rovinces 



