164 The Fig Tree. 



They are consequently raised by cuttings, layers, suckers, roots, 

 and by ingrafting; the most general method is by layers or cut- 

 tings which come into bearing the second, and even the first year. 



In many parts of the Grecian Islands, the inhabitants pay such 

 attention to the caprification of the cultivated figs, that they at- 

 tend daily for three months in the year to gather these little flies 

 from the wild fig trees in their gardens, by which means they not 

 only get finer fruit, but from ten to twelve times the quantity; 

 thus one of the most minute insects is, by the attention of man, 

 made a principal cultivator of fruit. 



It is a curious fact, that freshly -killed venison, or any other an- 

 imal food, being hung up in a fig tree for a single night, will be- 

 come as tender, and as ready for dressing, as if kept for many 

 days or weeks in the common manner. We are told of a gentle- 

 man, who made the experiment of suspending a haunch of venison 

 which had lately been killed, in a fig tree when it was in full foli- 

 age, at about 10 o'clock in the evening, and w^as removed in the 

 morning before sunrise, when it was found in a perfect state for 

 cooking; and he adds, that in a few hours more, it would have 

 been in a state of putrefaction. 



We import the best dried figs from Turkey, Italy, Spain and 

 Provence. In the south of France, they are prepared by dipping 

 them in scalding-hot lie, made of the ashes of the fig tree, and 

 then dried in the sun. 



The most suitable kind to raise in Great Britain or the north- 

 ern part of the United States, is the Brunswick fig, [Ficus indica.) 

 Plate 6. In a south-east corner, trained against a wall, it ripens 

 in England by the middle of August, and about a month later in 

 New England. It is necessary however, in this country, to se- 

 cure it from the frosts during the winter, and to remove it as ear- 

 ly in the spring as the season will admit. The leaves are very 

 deeply five lobed, the lobes narrow, and of nearly equal width. 

 The fruit is very large, obovate, fleshy, with an unusually oblique 

 apex. The eye is rather depressed. The stalk short and thick. 

 The skin pale green on the shaded side with a tinge of yellow; 

 next the sun, dull, brownish red, sprinkled with small pale brown 

 specks. The flesh is pinkish in the interior, nearly white towards 

 the skin, but chiefly semi-transparent reddish brown, extremely 

 rich, sweet and highly flavored. 



The fig is cultivated in Great Britain and in this country entire- 

 ly for the dessert, but in fig countries, it is eaten green or dried, 

 fried or stewed, and in various ways, with, or without bread or 

 meat, as food. Abroad the fig is introduced during dinner, as 

 well as at the dessert. In common with the melon, it is present- 



