236 DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



Etymology. — The word Jicus has been derived from the Latin word, fectin- 

 dus, fruitful, on account of its heavy bearing ; also from fag, a Hebrew name; 

 as well as from the Sanscrit /e$r. Fig is a mere translation of the word ficus. 

 Car'ica is from Caria, from Avhich town fiue figs were exported in ancient 

 times. Banyan, Hindu for " merchant," is applied to these trees on account of 

 their frequent use as market places. The other names are self-explanator\'. 



History. — The fig is spoken of frequently in Scripture. Greek tradition 

 carries back the use of the fig to remote antiquity, leading to the inference 

 that it was used prior to the cereals, and figured as largely in the support of 

 human life as the plantain family. Even so late as after the Exodus we find 

 the Israelites deploring the failure of the fig crop as a great calamity. In the 

 days of Vergil the cultivation of the fig near Rome was carried on to greater 

 perfection than that of the vine. 



The home of the fig is believed to be western Asia, perhaps Persia, whence 

 it has worked its way both eastward and westward. In very early times it 

 had spread throughout the Mediterranean basin, along both shores, and as far 

 west as the Canary Islands. In the days of Theophrastus, who lived about 

 300 years before the beginning of the Christian era, it was a well known fruit. 

 It has spread through all the subtropical countries where European coloniza- 

 tion has been established. The tree endures tlie climate of southern England, 

 but does not fruit well there. Some trees, carried to England in 1525, and 

 planted in the garden of Cardinal Pole, are now in good health ; some of them 

 being 50 feet in height and 10 inches in diameter. The fig is supposed to have 

 been taken into England in the first century by Agricola. 



Use. — The fig is a favorite dessert fruit, both in a natural and a pre- 

 served state. In soutliwestern Asia, southern Europe, and northern Africa 

 it constitutes the principal food of a large number of people, and is eaten 

 just as it is taken from the tree. When figs are dried in tlie sun or in a 

 kiln and packed tightly, they keep well, and endure long voyages without 

 damage. 



Medicinally, they are laxative, and roasted they are used as a poultice for 

 boils, and applied to the gums to allay inflammation. 



Some of the Chinese and Indian fig-trees are the abodes of the lac insect. 

 Coccus lacca. The females make their homes upon the ends of tlie twigs of 

 the fig-tree, and deposit thereon a resinous sub.stance, which enters into the 

 manufacture of sealing-wax, varnish, watei'proof hats, etc. 



Marts. — The markets of the world are supplied by Turkey and Greece, 

 Spain and Egypt. About 7,000,000 pounds are taken from these countries 

 to the United States annually, and about 20,000,000 pounds are taken to 

 England. 



CANNABIS, Tourn. Flowers dioecious ; staminate flowers in a 

 raceme ; calyx with 5 nearly equal sepals ; stamens 5, nodding ; pis- 

 tillate flowers spicate, clustered, single-bracted ; calyx urceolate, 

 1-sepaled, and membranous ; ovary globose, 1 -celled, inclosing a single 

 ovule ; style terminal ; seed hanging. An erect annual. Leaves alter- 

 nate above, opposite below, digitate. 



C. sativa, L. (Hemp.) Stem 5 to 18 feet high, roundish, angular, sulcate, 

 and rough-branched. Leaves opposite l)elow, alternate above, digitately 

 divided ; leaflets 5 to 7, linear-lanceolate, and toothed, the two at the base 

 smaller and frequently entire, the stipulate foot-stalks 1 to 3 inches long. 



