160 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



many situations on the coast of Sussex, between the towns 

 of Arundel and Shoreham, where 



" Upon the southern side of the slant hills, 

 And where the woods fence off the northern blast, 

 The season smiles, resigning all its rage, 

 And has the warmth of May ;" 



and where, if figs were cultivated, the London markets 

 could be amply supplied with this nutritious fruit. 



The author of this work has frequently gathered in that 

 neighbourhood the fruit of the second crop, which has 

 stood the winter without any protection whatever, and 

 ripened its figs about the end of June, These winter figs 

 are much superior in flavour to what are matured in August 

 and September; and were the ends of the bearing branches 

 slightly covered with straw, or even oiled paper, for a few 

 months in the winter, we have no hesitation in saying, 

 that two crops might be regularly brought to market from 

 the same trees. 



The fig-tree, like the myrtle, delights in the sea air, 

 where it is not too much exposed to the rude blast: would 

 not the inhabitants of the coast do well to enlarge their 

 fig plantations ? The price of this fruit at the shops in 

 London in September 1820, was from six to eight and 

 twelve shillings per dozen. In the August following, the 

 author bought them in Paris at sixpence and ninepence 

 per dozen, even at their first coming to market ; but they 

 were smaller than those grown in the villages near Wor- 

 thing, and by no means better in flavour. 



We import the best dried figs from Turkey, Italy, 

 Spain, and Provence. In the south of France, they are 

 prepared by dipping them in scalding hot lye made of the 

 ashes of the fig-tree, and then dried in the sun. 



For medical purposes, figs are chiefly used in emollient 

 cataplasms and pectoral decoctions. 



