86 TILLEKS OF THE GROUND CHAP. 



that of Herodotus, that the caprifigs had inside 

 them a little insect, which we know now to be a 

 tiny wasp, which helps in the process of fertilisation. 



The curious point, however, which makes this 

 case more difficult to understand than that of 

 the date, is that Pliny knew that caprification (the 

 bringing of the caprifig branches) was -not always 

 necessary; some figs would ripen without this, 

 while dates will never ripen unless the pollen is 

 brought to them. At the present time some fig- 

 growers still practise caprification, while others say 

 that it is not necessary. Leaving this for a moment, 

 however, let us go back to Pliny's explanation of 

 what happens in the wild fig. 



" It is beyond all doubt," he says, " that in 

 caprification the green fruit gives birth to a kind 

 of gnat, for when they have taken their flight there 

 are no seeds to be found within the fruit : from 

 this it would appear that the seeds are transformed 

 into these gnats. Indeed, these insects are so 

 eager to take their flight that they mostly leave 

 behind them either a leg or a part of a wing on 

 their departure." 



He had a great appetite for marvels had Pliny, 

 and to him, if flies came out of a fruit, it was clear 

 that it was the seeds which had been turned into 

 flies the idea that other flies had laid their eggs 

 in the fruit never occurred to him. There would 



