244 



are several sub- varieties of the Lisbon, such as the " thornless " and 

 the " variegated," differing from the parent to the extent their names 

 imply. When allowed to ripen on the tree the rind thickens, and 

 the fruit is coarser. 



SICILIAN (Fig. 3). Rounder than the Lisbon, which it other- 

 wise resembles. Tree almost thornless and prolific ; an early bearer, 

 and a good market lemon. 



FIGrS (Ficus Carica). 



The fig as well as the grape vine thrives in Western Australia 

 where other fruit trees sometimes fail to be productive. In the 

 cooler districts they sometimes fail to mature their fruit, and are 

 better suited for the warmer localities. Moist, sandy loams are also 

 more congenial to the fig tree than are heavy clays. The fig itself, 

 which is generally spoken of as a fruit consisting of a mass of pulp 

 enclosed in a thin skin, is to the botanist an inflorescence, in which 

 the outer covering is a receptacle for the hundreds of microscopic 

 flowers inside. For all practical purposes, edible figs may be con- 

 sidered under three classes. (1), The Wild or Capri; (2), The 

 Self-sterile or Smyrna type; (3), The Self -fertile or Adriatic type. 



THE WILD OR CAPRI. The only value of this class of figs is to 

 serve as host for the minute wasp (Blastophaga grossorum} which 

 enters the self-sterile or Smyrna type of figs arid fertilises them. In 

 fact, it has been said that the Capri fig and the Smyrna fig stand in 

 the relations of male and female to each other. They both, how- 

 ever, possess male and female flowers, but these ripen at different 

 times, and therefore need external interference for their fertilisation. 



This is provided by the minute wasp above referred to, and 

 which acts in this way : The fruit of the Capri fig, which as a fruit 

 is worthless, is like all figs really a hollow inflorescence. It 

 produces, three crops annually. The profichis first of all ; the 

 mammoni, which buds out when the profichis are ripe and the 

 third crop or second mammoni, which makes its appearance as the 

 first mammoni ripens. 



These inflorescences are possesspd of male and female flowers, 

 both with a predominance of male or staminate flowers in the 

 profichis. On this account this crop is of more particular value to 

 the Smyrna or self-sterile class. Tlie succeeding second and third 

 crops or mammonis serve <>nly as a habitat for the fig wasps and 

 enable them to tide over the seasons. 



The propagation of the fig wasp proceeds as follows : The 

 female Blastophaga wasp forces its way through the ostolium or eye 

 into the fig and having done so lays one egg in each of a number 

 of the ovaries of the female flowers and dies within the fig. In 

 consequence of this puncture the ovary swells and forms a gall 



