270 CAPRIFIG. 



o\'er the western part of the Mediterranean region. It 

 also seems probable that this plant migrated from the 

 Kast across the Mediterranean. lint this liappcned in 

 prehistoric times before it had begnn to be cultivated. 



The earliest description of the Fig-tree mentions 

 two distinct varieties ; the one \-ielding edible ligs, the 

 other unpalatable fruits. Even in anpient times the tree 

 with the uneatable fruits was called "Caprificus", which 

 means Goat-fig or Buck-tig; and the singular inlluence 

 which the Caprilig exerts over the ripening of the edible 

 figs \^'as alread)' known. Pliny writes: — "The\' call the 

 wild Fig-tree Caprificus : its fruits never ripen, but it 

 imparts to other fruits that which it itself lacks : for 

 Nature distributes the creative powers at her discretion, 

 and she is able to engender new lorms ol. lile even out 

 of corruption itself. Thus the wild Fig-tree produces 

 flies which lea^'e the cleca\'ing fruits of the maternal 

 tree, as these can afiord them no more nourishment. 

 These flies then attack the culti\ated tree, bite open its 

 fruits greecfih' and force their wa^• into their interior, 

 thus admitting as much warmtli and sunlight into the 

 figs as is necessary' to ripen them". 



Herodotus appears also to have known of this "capri- 

 fication". Aristotle described it fulh, and ^•et only 

 recent in\'estigations ha\'e been able to make clear his 

 meaning. bideed, the true connection of the Caprilig 

 ^^•ith the edible ligs has on]\ i|uile lateh' been disco\'ered. 



Even the northerner is familiar with the aspect of 

 the Fig-tree, for we often grow it in tubs, if not in the 

 open ground. Thus centuries ago — in 15()l — Conrad 



