20 



camels are employed to good advantage, the highways not being in a 

 condition to permit of the use of drags." 



Consul Marston, of Malaga, Spain, reports that the process used in 

 Spain consists in picking the figs when they are entirely ripe, and are 

 cured by laying them on the ground upon straw until they are cured by 

 the sun. They are covered each night to protect them from the night 

 dampness. 



Throughout France the fig tree is common; about Marseilles it is not 

 an object of special culture. There they cull the fruit one by one, when 

 perfectly ripe, with great care, to prevent them from bruising or sever- 

 ing the fruit from the peduncle. They are then laid on hurdles and 

 exposed to the sun, and turned over every now and then until perfectly 

 dried; that is, for a period of ten or fifteen days, as they claim that the 

 least exposure to moisture would turn the figs black a*nd reduce their 

 value by at least one half. These hurdles are taken in every evening, 

 to be again taken out every morning. The difficulties of the operation 

 deter most of the farmers there from undertaking it, excepting those 

 that own small farms, where everything must be turned to account, and 

 they cultivate them themselves with no other help than that of their 

 families. The Marseillaise is considered there as the best variety. 



Consul Heap reports that the process of curing the fruit throughout 

 Turkey consists of picking the figs when ripe and spreading them out 

 to dry in the sun, the sugar which they contain in abundance being 

 thus rendered available for their preservation, those of better quality 

 being much pulled and extended by hand during the process. Thus 

 prepared, the fruit is packed closely in barrels, rush baskets, or wooden 

 boxes, for commerce. 



Figs are grown largely in the province of Turkey, but the quantity is 

 small compared with Smyrna. A considerable quantity of inferior 

 kinds of figs find their way to the Austrian " chicory coffee makers" 

 and the French brandy distillers. Much liquor labeled "fine cham- 

 pagne," u cognac," etc., owes its origin to refuse of the Smyrna fig 

 market. 



Consul Fottion, of Mytilene, reports " that the kinds of figs producing 

 the figs of commerce there are the Politika and the Asprokoukoiizza, so 

 called, Politika from Constantinople, and Asprokoukouzza from their 

 white seeds." These varieties there do not require any cultivation. 

 The figs are dried in the sun, and afterwards are filled with almonds, 

 pepper, and cinnamon, and are roasted on plates in ovens. Aromatic 

 leaves of laurel are added to them, and they are then packed in boxes. 



In Syria the process of curing consists in opening the fruit, either by 

 hand or cutting them with a knife, and spreading them for three days 

 in the sun, on dry ground or on a straw mat placed on the housetops. 

 When dried they are placed in palm leaf bags and pressed as much as 

 possible. The figs are not gathered until they are fully ripe. 



In Aleppo the figs are gathered and spread on mats in the shade until 

 they get dried, and are then placed in bags and pressed. The best are 

 selected, and when dried are steamed to make them fresh, after which 

 they are pressed between the fingers and flattened, and are strung on 

 flaxen threads to be exposed for sale. 



In Damascus the figs are dried in the sun, and are then cured by 

 covering them with flour. 



In Tripoli (Straits Settlement) the figs are gathered when fully ripe, 



