THE MAPLE AND THE SYCAMORE. 



sycomore of Scripture was a species of fig, Ficus 

 sycomorus. It grew abundantly in the valleys of 

 Palestine; also in Egypt, and hence obtained the 

 name of Pharaoh's fig. To this day it is cultivated 

 about Cairo and elsewhere for the sake of its shade ; 

 but it is a tree of little value either for timber or 

 fruit. In ancient Egypt, where there were few 

 native timber-trees, inferior as it is to many others, 

 a certain importance necessarily attached to it, and 

 the wood was used, it is said, in the manufacture of 

 mummy-cases. The fruit is insipid, but sweetish, 

 and is still used for food, but only by the poorer 

 classes of the people. The sycamine-tree is different 

 again. By this name is intended the common black 

 or purple mulberry, which, as well as the white 

 mulberry, on the leaves of which silkworms are fed, 

 is said now to abound in Palestine, though it is 

 doubtful if the trees were common there in the days 

 of the prophets. 



