( 97 ) 



VIII. Further Notes on the Caprijication of domestic 

 Figs, with reference to Dr. Paul Mayer's comments 

 thereon. By Sir Sidney S. Saunders, C.M.G. 



[Read February 6th, 1884.] 



In my former remarks on Count zu Solms-Laubach's 

 investigations at Naples, as set forth in his exhaustive 

 Essay on " The origin, domestication, and culture of the 

 common Fig-tree, Ficus Carica, L.," I observed that, 

 as regards promoting the distension, maintenance, or 

 maturity of the crop, by the so-called " Caprihcation- 

 process," there was a lack of evidence which rendered it 

 difficult to reconcile this traditional doctrine with any 

 reputed virtues ascribed thereto in certain parts of 

 Southern Europe and the Levant, though ignored in 

 other regions ; an operation, moreover, which Count 

 Solms has himself denounced as supererogatory (jetzt 

 kaum mehr niitzliche), in modification, as he observes, 

 of Olivier's formulary,* characterizing this process as 

 " un tribut que I'homme payait a I'ignorance et aux 

 prejuges"; a verdict (Aussprucht) which, as the Count 

 explains (pp.24 and 26), Olivier's imperfect acquaintance 

 with the practice did not justify. 



Dr. Paul Mayer, Superintendent of the German 

 Zoological Station at Naples, who assisted the Count in 

 many of his researches, and himself the author of an 

 elaborate treatise on "Fig-Insects," referred to with 

 deserved encomium in our ' Transactions ' on more than 

 one occasion, has now favoured me with various in- 

 teresting explanations to which he is desirous of calling 

 attention ; and in order to admit of full scope to his 

 valuable expositions on these matters, I append hereto a 

 copy of his communication, coupled with some subsidiary 

 remarks. Nevertheless Dr. Mayer is labouring under 

 some misconception in supposing that my commentary 

 upon the Count's essay applied conjointly to the works 



* Sei dem jedoch wie es woUe, auf alle Falle darf man dem oben 

 p, 26 citirten Satze Oliviers mi Grund einen anderen substituiren 

 der etwa wie folgt formulirt we: den konnte (Solms, p. 44). 



" TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1884. — PART I. (APRIL.) H 



