204 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND OURING. 
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the fig is ‘‘ pear-shaped” or ‘‘turbinate,” with rounded top; if at the 
apex, the fig is ‘‘ bell-shaped,” and if the apex or surface around the 
eye is flattened out, the fig may be called ‘‘ obtuse,” or flattened at 
apex like an onion. The shape of figs may be classified under two 
heads, round oroblong. ‘*‘ Round” figs are those in which both diame- 
ters are of the same length or in which the width is greater than the 
length from stalk toeye. ‘‘Oblong” or ‘‘turbinate” figs are all whose 
length is decidedly greater than the width. The length of the respee- 
tive diameters enables the fig to be divided into two general classes, 
the characteristics of which are fairly constant. A better expression 
for a round fig would be globular, but as the word ‘‘round” has been 
generally adopted by other writers, no change has been made. 
Neck.—The neck of the fig is the part situated nearest to the stalk. 
The neck may be ‘‘none” or ‘‘ absent;” ‘‘no neck” if the fig is entirely 
globular; or it may be ‘‘short” if about one-fourth the long diameter 
of the fig; ‘‘medium” is above that, but not reaching one-half the 
length of the long diameter of the fig, and “‘long” if above half the 
length of the fig. The neck must not be confounded with the stalk, as 
is often done. The neck is part of the main body of the fig; the stalk 
is the part outside of the fig proper, which connects the fig with the 
branch on which it issuspended. The neck may be ‘‘ well set” if it is 
considerably narrower than the body of the fig, or it may be ‘‘ gradu- 
ally tapering” to the stalk; or it may be ‘‘ very thin,” ‘‘ slender,” or 
‘compressed sideways,” all of these expressions being readily under- 
stood. (See fig. 34.) 
Stalk.—The stalk connects the neck or body of the fig with the 
branch upon which it is suspended, and should never be considered 
in the measurement of the fig. It is of greatest importance to know 
the average length of the stalk, as it varies much with different varie- 
ties, being ‘‘short,” ‘‘medium,” ‘‘long,” or ‘‘very long.” The same 
expression is used in regard to theneck. Thestalk may be ‘‘ rounded,” 
‘‘flat,” ‘‘three-cornered,” ete., all points which should be noted in 
describing a fig. The length of the stalk varies to some extent in the’ 
same variety, and care must be taken to give a true average or to note 
any unusual variation in length, thickness, ete. It is also of impor- 
tance to note whether the stalk breaks off readily from the branch or 
must be cut off when the fig is ripe. (See fig. 34.) 
Ribs.—The ribs are longitudinal ridges running from stalk to eye. 
They may be confined to the neck, to the body of the fig, or may 
extend to the eye. They are higher or lower, or take the shape of 
mere lines, generally colored darker. They may branch, or higher 
ribs may alternate with lower ones, or they may partly dissolve them- 
selves into warts. Some figs possess no trace of ribs; in others the 
ribs fade out or fuse at eye or neck. (See fig. 34.) 
Hye.—The eye is the opening in the broad end or apex of the fig. 
It may be ‘‘closed” or ‘‘open,” and there are various degrees of 
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