DRYING AND CURING FIGS. 183 
b) 
operation on the fig.” bolés or balas, however, refers to wild figs. It 
has been suggested that the expression of Amos refers to caprification, 
and was so given by De Lagarde. but it is much more probable 
that ‘‘bdlés schiqmim” refers to the process practiced to this day of 
eutting or piercing the sycamore fig with a knife, in order to cause 
the Blastophagas to develop quickly and leave the fig. 
In Italy the oiling of the fig is called ‘‘egliazione.” The process 
was mentioned by Theophrastus as practiced by the ancient Greeks, 
and Pliny mentions it as one of the practices of the Romans. In 
modern times oiling is in vogue in Italy, Syria, Spain, and Provence. 
Even other substances have been or are used, such as alcohol, and 
(according to Professor Solms-Laubach) Dr. Eisig was told in Ischia 
that oil caused ‘‘muso chiuso” (mouth shut), but alcohol ‘‘muso 
aperto” (mouth open), indicating that oil would cause the mouth or 
eye of the fig to close, while alcohol would cause it to open. 
It may be interesting to note that unless the sycamore figs are 
pierced by the knife they are said not to reach perfection nor to be 
edible. There is reason to believe that there is a twofold object in 
piercing the syeamore figs: first, to cause the wasps (Sycophaga syco- 
mort) to quickly develop and leave; second, to cause the fruit to 
develop or to hasten its development. If such be the case, the piere- 
ing of this fig is at least partly analogous to the puncturing of the 
edible figs as practiced in Provence. 
Oiling and puncturing of second-crop San Pedros will not cause 
them to develop. The writer has tried it several times without suc- 
eess. According to reliable testimony of French growers the oiling 
hastens the development and maturity of the figs about six days. It 
is generally practiced at Argenteuil, near Paris, where the production 
of ‘‘figues fleurs,” or first-crop figs, for the Paris market is an exten- 
sive industry. 
HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE SUGAR PERCENTAGE OR DEGREE IN FIGS. 
Figs contain much less water than grapes, and whiie the latter 
require only to be squeezed out in order to have their saccharine 
measured, figs can not be thus treated. There are several ways by 
which the percentage of sugar may be ascertained, but the simplest 
one for the fruit grower is as follows: Procure a graduated glass from 
some firm dealing in chemical apparatus. The graduate should not 
hold less than a quart. Fill this to the upper graduation with figs, not 
packed, but loosely shaken in. Then pour on water slowly until this 
also reaches the top graduation. Then take out all the figs one by 
one, place ina dish to drain, and add this drained-off water to what 
is left in the graduate and ascertain to what line this water reaches. 
The difference between this line and the top line indicates the volume 
of the figs. Suppose that this is 20 per cent. Next cut the figs into 
smaller pieces, place in a clean pot, cover well with water, and heat to 
23740—No,. 9—O1——15 
