THE FIG TREE ] 139 



4. The LONG VIOLET FIG (NiFarkizzan probably 

 from Ficarazzi, in Sicily). The tree grows to a large 

 size and is a fast grower. The foliage is large and 

 well lobed with some ruddiness on the undersurface; 

 the petioles are also ruddy. The fruit is large, of a 

 beautiful oblong shape, with vertical or longitudinal 

 fissures or netting. The pulp is soft and watery, lively 

 red, sweet and of excellent quality. This beautiful fig 

 is one of the best sorts for the table, but is not 

 suitable for drying, being too watery. The tree is very 

 productive, and the fruit is probably the earliest to ripen, 

 and maturation is hardly ever prolonged beyond the 

 middle of September. The fruit will do without caprifica- 

 tion, but is greatly improved by it, and shedding off 

 is reduced to a mininum. 



5. The SMALL BLACK FIG ( M parsott salvagg) . The 

 tree grows to a large size and the foliage is large and 

 well lobed. The fruit is small, shaped like a bourgeas- 

 sotte, with a dark red pulp, which is luscious and very 

 sugary. Ripens late and maturation is sometimes pro- 

 longed well into December, when the tree is already 

 leafless. It is not esteemed either for the table or for 

 drying, but is enormously productive if caprificated. 



6. The LONG BLACK FIG (JA Bzen%ul uued.) The 

 tree grows to a large size and is a fast grower. The 

 foliage is similar to that of the long violet fig, but 

 is less deeply lobed, and the lobes are more rounded. 

 The tree produces two crops. The early crop, often 

 consisting of a few figs, is produced along with the 

 foliage and ripens in June. These early figs are large, 

 very long, dark violet or nearly black, with fine 

 longitudinal netting, and a long and slender stalk. The 

 flesh is dark red, luscious and of excellent quality. 

 The main crop is fairly abundant, but the figs are 

 rather small, very long and swollen at the stalk-end. 

 They have the same netting and arc of the same 

 colour as the early figs, but are far less luscious, and 



