88 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



CHAPTER XII. 



The Fig. 



THB FIG (picus Carica) is a native of Western Asia, 

 Northern Africa, and Southern Europe. It is a deciduous 

 tree growing some 15 to 3oft. high in warm climates. 

 The fruit has been used as an article of food from the 

 earliest period of human history. It is mentioned many 

 times in Holy writ, and was extensively grown and eaten 

 by the ancient Greeks and Romans. 



It is considered probable that the Fig was introduced 

 with the Vine into this country by the Romans, but there 

 are no reliable data on that point. There is evidence, how- 

 ever, that Cardinal Pole introduced trees from Italy early 

 in the sixteenth century, and caused them to be planted 

 in the archiepiscopal garden at Lambeth Palace. Arch- 

 bishop Crammer is also reputed to have brought trees 

 from Italy and planted them in the Manor House Gardens 

 at Mitcham, in Surrey. Thomas a'Beckett is also said 

 to have planted Figs in the Manor Gardens at Tarring, 

 Sussex, in the twelfth century. The remains of a fig 

 garden exist there at the present day. The variety grown 

 is the Brown Turkey, and the trees annually bear good 

 crops of fruit. 



Gerarde, in the sixteenth century, refers to the Fig in 

 his " Herbal," and recommends the trees to be grown on 

 a hot wall. Parkinson, early in the seventeenth century, 

 advises them to be grown in tubs in the Orangery. Philip 

 Miller, early in the eighteenth century, seems to be the 

 first gardener to have taken up the culture of the Fig in 

 real earnest. He introduced many new varieties from 

 Italy, and grew them with great success on walls. From 

 that time the Fig was largely planted in gardens, and 

 even on cottage walls. 



