BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 919 



to botanists, and, strange enough, it was first described 

 from specimens found in the edible fig. The male flower 

 of the fig was first described by the prominent botanist 

 La Hire in the year 17 14, from figs grown in Paris either 

 under glass or in the open ground (36). Unfortunately 

 La Hire does not give particulars as to the variety from 

 which the flowers were taken, and it is not even certain 

 that La Hire got his flowers from the edible fig. An- 

 other variety of edible fig which regularly produces seed 

 is the "Croisic," cultivated in the vicinity of the ocean 

 bathing place Croisic, on the coast of Brittany, in the 

 Department of Loire inferieure. This fig has been men- 

 tioned by Solms-Laubach (37), and described as being 

 green when ripe, with white or pale pulp, ver}^ juicy and 

 sweet, but with poor aroma. The male flowers occupy 

 the same place and distribution as in the profichi of the 

 caprifig. The place they occupy on the receptacle ripens 

 less perfectly than the balance of the fig, and remains 

 always somewhat hard and dry, generally to such an ex- 

 tent that it becomes necessary to remove that part of the 

 fig before eating. 



Another somewhat similar edible fig was observed by 

 the same author as cultivated at Cherbourg in France, 

 also on the Atlantic coast. The male flowers in this fig 

 were, however, degenerated or improperl}^ developed 

 (36). The finder-of these figs believes them to be only 

 highly developed caprifigs which have become edible. 

 He is even tempted to trace their introduction to France 

 to the time when the Phoenician traders extended their 

 ocean voyages to the northern coast of France, a time 

 when supposedly the edible figs were yet in a semi -wild 

 or undeveloped condition. 



Another fig with numerous male flowers was found by 

 Mr. B. M. Lelong at Los Gatos, October 20, 1891. The 



