180 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. . 
third of an inch long by one-quarter of an inch wide when full grown, 
oval, convex, and of an ashy-brown color. The young hatch in May, 
and spread at once over stems, leaves, and even over the fruit. The 
effect is the stunted growth of the branches, dark spots on leaves and 
branches, the figs fall off, and in extreme cases the branches, and later 
the whole tree,succumbs. At the end of August the young scales 
gather on the outside of leaves and branches, and become stationary, 
where they continue to grow until the following spring, when the 
young burst the coverof the old scale and proceed as indicated. Prob- 
ably any one of the scale remedies in common use may be successfully 
employed as an antidote, but the writer especially recommends the 
lime, salt, and sulphur compound, the composition of which is as 
follows: 
150 pounds of sulphur. 
250 pounds of lime. 
100 pounds of salt. 
25 gallons of water. 
Use a kettle 24 feet high by 3 feet wide. Put the water first in the 
kettle and boil the ingredients for eight hours, adding water as nee- 
essary. After boiling the prescribed time a mush-like mess is formed, 
which when put into molds hardens, but dissolves readily in water. 
Dissolve 5 pounds of this cake in hot water and then add 30 gallons 
of water. This is used as a spray on the trees in the spring before 
the scale hatches. 
If this scale appears in this country it will probably be fought by 
the introduction of parasites. 
BEETLES. 
Small Coleopterous insects or beetles attack the figs in the vicinity 
of Paris. These insects of two species bore the figs while they are 
yet rudimentary, and cause great damage to the crop. As a remedy 
damp moss is placed in the vicinity of the stems of the fig. The 
beetles collect under the moss and may be removed early every morn- 
ing. Another remedy consists in sifting ashes over the branches in 
the early morning while the dew is yet on. 
WORMS IN DRIED FIGS. 
The small maggots so frequently found in dried figs are not really 
worms, but larvee of a small moth. These larvee feed on the dry figs, 
as well as on other dry fruits. The eggs of the moth are laid on the 
fruit after it has dried and the maggots develop in a few weeks. Dip- 
ping in hot or boiling water is useful as a remedy; close packing and 
pressing of the figs will also to some extent prevent the havoe of the 
moth. <A light sulphuring of the figs for a few minutes will probably 
kill the larve. The sulphuring is effected by burning sulphur in a 
closed chamber or room in which the infected figs have been previ- 
ously placed. Too long sulphuring would undoubtedly injure the 
taste of the figs. 
