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others. Strawberries, figs, peaches, pomegranates, 

 apricots, grapes, apples, pears, nectarines, plums, 

 melons, and prickly pears, are amongst the fruits, 

 as are also the orange, lemon, and nespoli or Ja- 

 panese medlar. Vegetables of various kinds are 

 abundant and cheap. The prickly pear which is the 

 product of the Ficus Indicus is largely consumed^ 

 and the cactus on which it grows, and of which 

 four varieties are cultivated, might well be largely 

 used for fences, as the Opuntia Maydia is in many 

 parts of Sicily. Only Nice can surpass Malta, which 

 is in truth the modern Garden of the Hesperides, 

 for oranges, and that only so far as one or two 

 varies are concerned. The fi^-tree of which several 

 varieties are cultivated in Malta, is justly prized 

 on account of its juicy and abundant fruit. The 

 first fig which is called "baitra ta San Junn," or 

 "St. John's fig" ripens towards the end of June, 

 on the 24th of which month is the feast of St. 

 John. This fig is of large size, and is succeeded 

 by other varieties, which ripen towards the latter 

 end of July. To prevent the premature fall of the 

 fruit, and with the idea of hastening its ripening 

 the process known as caprification is employed. 



A cluster of wild figs is suspended amongst 

 the branches of the cultivated variety by means of 

 a plant Ammi majus called on this account Dakra, 

 the wild fig-tree bearing the name of Dokkara. 

 Numerous diptera (Oynips) become covered with 



