184 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
the boiling point. At least 40 units of water should be added to the 
figs if their volume was 20 per cent. After having boiled for a while 
ascertain, by tasting, if all the sugar is leached out of the figs. If so, 
remove from the fire. Filter the liquid from the figs and then squeeze 
the figs in a cloth until as much of the liquid is removed as possible; 
then add this liquid to the former liquid. If this liquid in which the 
figs have been boiled measures less than 20 units, more water must 
be added; but if it measures more than 20 units, or the volume of the 
figs, it must be evaporated by boiling until it shows exactly 20 per 
cent. Filter through blotting paper and then weigh with a saccha- 
rometer. In order to have first-class dried figs the saccharometer 
should indicate 35 per cent of sugar. The object of the whole process 
is to extract the sugar from the figs and to ascertain correctly its per- 
centage in relation to the volume of the figs. This method will only 
suffice for a rough estimate and not for a chemical analysis. As the 
commercial value of figs depends principally on the quantity of sac- 
charine they contain, every grower and dealer should be prepared to 
test the saccharine. Fresh figs used for drying should show not less 
than 35 per cent, and dried figs not less than 55 per cent of sugar. 
GATHERING THE FRUIT. 
Figs destined for drying should be carefully handled in order to 
preserve a fine appearance when offered for sale and also to prevent 
undue fermentation while curing. In localities where caprification is 
practiced, little labor is required in picking the figs, because caprifi- 
cated figs, or varieties which require caprification, fall from the trees 
when perfectly mature and in prime condition for being dried and 
eured. The cause of this dropping must be sought for in the perfect 
condition of seeds and consequent perfection of the fruit, the nature 
of which is to fall from the tree when sufficiently developed to propa- 
gate its kind. Figs which have not been caprificated fall first from the 
tree when decay has begun to set in in some form or other. Such figs 
are therefore never as perfect as when cut from the tree at the proper 
time. If carelessly pulled from the branches the figs will be bruised 
and torn, the skin around the neck is apt to be injured, and quite fre- 
quently the neck itself is torn off, exposing the pulp of the fig to view. 
Bruised figs will be inferior inmany ways. The contents will ooze out, 
and pulling and faney packing can not be resorted to. Figs may be 
twisted from the branch by an expert picker, but even with the best of 
skill and care many figs will be injured. Besides, the process is too 
slow. The proper way is to cut the figs from the branch as closely to 
the tree as possible, leaving no part of the neck and stalk adhering 
to the branch. A small knife with a fixed blade, such as is used for 
picking grapes, may be used, but a size smaller is more convenient. 
A knife 6 inches in length—handle and blade—is of proper size. The 
knife should be quite sharp, or it will tear the delicate skin of the fig. 
