7 * 
The first crop or 
CAPRIFICATION OF THE FIG. 89 
‘profichi” has both male flowers and gall flowers, 
but no female flowers. The second crop or the ‘*mammoni” alone 
possesses both female flowers and gall flowers. There are, however, 
exceptions to this rule, but this proportion is the most common one and 
is generally constant. There is also a purely female plant of the wild 
caprifig which possesses mammoni with only female flowers, but this 
plant is as yet almost unknown. It has already been mentioned that 
this form was first described by Pontedera.' The different crops of 
the fig will be more minutely described presently. 
If we consider the fig pomologically it will be seen that, as it is 
principally the receptacle that is eaten, the various flowers found in 
the fig often detract from the value of the fig, as they are never as 
juicy as the receptacle part. Especially is this the case with the male 
flowers, which are never edible; and whenever they oceur they must 
be cut away before eating. 
THE MALE FLOWERS. 
The male or staminate flowers of the caprifig are, as just stated, 
situated immediately below the throat of the fig, variously occupying 
from one-half to two-thirds of the space in the receptacle. (See fig. 9.) 
Fig. 9.—Caprifig from Smyrna growing at Niles, John Rock orchard: a, fig cut through from 
stalk to eye; b, c, male flowers; d, gall flower. 
The flowers, though small and sometimes somewhat irregular, are 
still perfect. They possess four petals, generally shorter than the 
anthers, and shorter than those of the female flowers. Inside these 
petals are seen four stamens carrying larger pollen-producing or 
pollen-bearing anthers. 
In the first crop these stamens attain their full development in 
the months of June or July, according to locality, or about two months 
- after the time that the female flowers have reached their perfection 
in the same fig. It is evident, therefore, that in usual cases the pollen 
'The female tree of the fig was first scientifically described by Solms-Laubach in 
species from Java. See his Die Geschlechtesdifferenzirung der Feigenbiumen. 
