GARDENS AND GARDENERS. 273 



flowered yet." The first gardener maintained that 

 some trees produce fruit without flowering. The other 

 denied this. I listened with interest to the argument. 

 The first man was hard pressed : at last he said, " How 

 about the fig tree ? This fruits every year, and no 

 one ever saw a flower on a fig tree." This settled 

 the dispute, and gardener number two laid down his 

 arms. 



A learned commentator censures Epictetus for 

 mentioning the flower of the fig tree, and adds, " The 

 philosopher had forgot that fig trees do not blossom, 

 and is less excusable than the English translators of 

 the Bible (Hab. iii. 17), to whom fig-trees were not 

 so familiar " ! 



I may explain for the benefit of very unbotanical 

 readers that the fig has as many flowers as any other 

 plant, but we do not notice them, because they are 

 enclosed in the succulent receptacle which becomes 

 what we call the fruit. This is really an infructescence. 

 In Dorstenia the " fig " is open, and the flowers are 

 exposed to view. 



I have often examined the Caper (Capparis 

 spinosa, Fig. 50), to ascertain whether it can propagate 

 itself in this climate ; once only I found a half-ripe 

 fruit.* The question is how the plant spreads, for 

 the peasants do not seem to cultivate it. They know 

 the use of the Caper, however, for they pick off all 

 the flower-buds that are within reach. I asked a 

 gardener if he had ever noticed a ripe fruit. By the 

 word " fruit " of course I do not mean anything 



* Mr, C. Bicknell states that the rare Capparis rupestris ripens its fruit. 

 Hanging over the door of the church of St. Siro, in St. Eemo, there is a 

 plant which produces abundant fruit. 



18 



