476 FICUS CARIC'A. 
Insects, Accidents, and Diseases. The fig-tree, in hot countries, and in dry 
seasons, especially when at a distance from the sea, is apt to have its leaves and 
fruit scorched and shrivelled up by the sun. It is scarcely subject to any diseases ; 
but is liable to the attacks of several species of the coccidae, as the cochineal, 
the kermes, dec. In British gardens, it is very seldom injured by insects, in the 
open air; but it is very liable to the attacks of the red spider, the coccus, and the 
honey dew, under glass. An abundance of water, and a moist atmosphere, like 
that of its indigenous habitat, the sea-shore, are perhaps the best preventives. 
Properties and Uses. The sap-wood of the fig-tree, which is extremely light 
and tender, and of a white colour, is used in France, for making whetstones, 
from its facility of receiving and retaining the emery and the oil that are 
employed in sharpening smith's tools. The heart-wood, which is yellow, loses a 
great deal of its weight in drying; but, by that process, it acquires so much 
strength and elasticity, that the screws of wine-presses are made of it. When 
used as fuel, it does not afford a very intense heat ; but its charcoal has the val- 
uable property of consuming very slowly. The leaves and bark abound in a 
milky, acrid juice, which may be applied as a rennet, for raising blisters, and 
for destroying warts. From this milky juice, which contains caoutchouc, India 
rubber might be made if desirable; and, on account of the same property, the 
very tenderest of the young leaves might be given as food to the larvae of the 
silk-moth. The fruit of the fig-tree, as has already been observed, serves as an 
article of food for a great part of the inhabitants of the regions where it abounds. 
In the northern parts of Europe and of America, it also enters into the desert, 
either fresh or dried. Medicinally, it is considered demulcent and laxative, and 
has long been used for emollient cataplasms, and for restoring persons debilitated 
by fevers, &c. In Portugal, the Grecian Archipelago, and the Canary Islands, a 
kind of brandy is distilled from fermented figs. All the species of the genus 
ficus, and also of the allied genus carica, are said to have the singular property 
of rendering raw meat tender, when hung beneath their shade. On what chem- 
ical principle this depends, we are ignorant, but the fact seems undoubted. 
As a fruit tree, the fig is valuable for growing and ripening fruit in situations 
unfavourable in regard to light, air, and soil ; such as against walls, in court-yards, 
the walls of houses in crowded cities, on the back-walls of green-houses and forc- 
ing-houses, comparatively in the shade, &c. It also bears better than any other 
fruit tree whatever, in pots; and, with an abundance of liquid manure and heat, 
this tree will produce under glass, three, and sometimes even four crops in a year. 
