149 



FIG. FICUS. CARICA. 



Natural order, Scabrida. A genus of the Poligamia 

 Trioecia class. 



" dark 



Beneath his ample leaf, the luscious fig." 



THE generic name of this fruit seems to have been de- 

 rived from the Hebrew, JD, although some etymological 

 students derive it from facundus. From the little varia- 

 tion in all the European names for the fig, they have evi- 

 dently been taken from the Latin. 



The earliest mention of the fig-tree is in those passages 

 of the Bible which relate to the creation and fall of man. 

 " And they sewed fig-leaves together, and made them- 

 selves aprons/' It' is a fruit that appears to have been 

 highly esteemed by the Israelites, who brought figs out of 

 the land of Canaan, when they were sent by Moses to as- 

 certain the produce and strength of that country. 



The fig-tree is often mentioned, both in the Old and 

 New Testament, in a manner to induce us to conclude 

 that Figs formed a principal part of the food of the Syrian 

 nation. When Abigail went to meet David, to appease 

 him for the affront given by Nabal, her husband, she took 

 with her, amongst other provisions, a present of two hun- 

 dred cakes of figs. 



When Lycurgus banished luxury from Sparta, and 

 obliged the Spartan men to dine in one common hall, to 

 enforce the practice of temperance and sobriety, every 

 one was obliged to send thither his provisions monthly, 



