CAPRIFICATION OF THE FIG. 95 
are really something halfway between the true female flower and the 
true gall flower. 
The mule flowers are characterized by an imperfect stigma, by ¢ 
style in length intermediate between that of the gall flower and the 
female flower, by an imperfect embryo, and by the property of becom- 
ing fleshy, sweet, and edible without pollination. I have so far not 
found any in the Smyrna figs, comparatively few in the second crop 
of the San Pedro class, but almost exclusively occurring in the first 
erop of this class. The stigma of the mule flowers has no developed 
glands on its upper surface and is not receptive. 
MALE FLOWERS IN EDIBLE FIGS. 
It has frequently been stated that male flowers are not found in 
edible figs, and this must be considered as a rule. However, there 
are some exceptions to this rule, and as they are of great interest, if 
not to the grower at least to the student, it may be proper to mention 
the subject somewhat more in detail. 
The male flower of the fig was for a long time unknown to botanists, 
and, strangely enough, it was first described from specimens found in 
the edible fig. The male flower of the fig was first described by the 
prominent botanist La Hire, in the year 1714, from figs grown in Paris 
either under glass or in the open ground.' Unfortunately, La Hire 
does not give particulars as to the variety from which the flowers 
were taken, and it is not even certain that La Hire got his flowers 
from the edible fig. Another variety of edible fig which regularly 
produces seed is the ‘‘ Croisic,” cultivated in the vicinity of the ocean 
bathing place Croisic, on the coast of Brittany, in the department of 
Loire Inferieure. . This fig has been mentioned by Solms-Laubach,? 
and described as being green when ripe, with white or pale pulp, very 
juicy and sweet, but with poor aroma. The male flowers occupy the 
same place and distribution as in the profichi of the caprifig. The 
place they occupy on the receptacle ripens less perfectly than the 
balance of the fig, and remains always somewhat hard and dry, gen- 
erally to such an extent that it becomes necessary to remove that part 
of the fig before eating. 
Another somewhat similar edible fig was observed by the same 
author as cultivated at Cherbourg, in France; also on the Atlantic 
coast. The male flowers in this fig were, however, degenerated or 
improperly developed. The finder of these figs believes them to be 
only highly developed eaprifigs which have become edible. He is 
even tempted to trace their introduction to France to the time when 
'La Hire. p. 287. But Colin Milne was the first one to point out that the 
cultivated figs contained no male flowers—only what he supposed to be female 
flowers. (1770.) See Milne’s dictionary, article ‘‘ Caprification. ’ 
*Solms- Laubach, 1, p. 14. 
