228 FICUS CARICA 



weather. Figs also contain a small quantity of gum, fatty matter, 

 and some other unimportant substances. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Figs are regarded as nutritive,, 

 emollient, demulcent, and laxative. They are, however, rarely 

 employed medicinally ; but persons subject to habitual constipa- 

 tion sometimes find them useful as an article of diet. Roasted or 

 boiled, and split open, they are occasionally used as a suppurative 

 poultice in gum-boils. 



In countries where they are plentiful figs are taken as food, 

 and are regarded as agreeable and wholesome ; but in this country 

 they are chiefly employed as a dessert. 



Isaiah xxxviii, 21 ; 1 Sam. xxv, 18 ; 1 Chron. xii, 40. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, pt. 1, p. 379; Pharmacographia, p. 488; 

 U. S. Disp., by W. & B., p. 407. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Drawn from a tree in the Royal Botanic Society's Garden, Regent's Park 

 the male flowers added from Nees, the embryo from Berg and Schmidt. 



1. A flowering branch. 



2. Section of the inflorescence. 



3. A female flower. 



4. Section of the same. 



5. Ripe " fruit." 



6. A nut. 



7. Section of the same. 



8. 9. Male flowers. 



(2-4, 8, 9 enlarged ; 6, 7 greatly magnified. 



