27b VARIETIES OF FIG. 



A botanist of Nice, Dr. Sauvaigo, has recently 

 made a list of the varieties of Fig that are cultivated 

 in the neighbourhood of Nice. He found that there 

 were sixteen; amongst these were white, green, grey, 

 red, black and bro'svn fruits. Of them the "Barnissotte 

 blanche", called in Genoa "Brogiotto bianco", is pre- 

 ferred on account of its fine flavour. The Genoese are 

 said to have introduced them from Syria at the time 

 of the Crusades. Near Nice there were trees of the 

 "Barnissotte" that were over thirty feet high. The 

 Scuderi property at Rimiez, boasts of one thirty-six feet 

 high, with a trunk four feet in diameter, and with a 

 spread of fort}- -five feet. Of the- French figs the 

 "Rolandine" is said to be the best suited for drying, 

 and lasth' the longish "Bellone", with ver\' sweet red 

 pulp, is prized as (^ueen of all figs between Toulon 

 and St. Remo. 



Figs are a wholesome food, though no longer so 

 much valued as in ancient days. In Athens the}' formed 

 so important an element in the food of the people that 

 during bad harvests their exportation was prohibited to 

 prevent famine. T fence the appointment of officials 

 called "Sycophants", — Fig informers. These gave infor- 

 mation of an^' infringement of the law, and often used 

 their office as a means of extortion; hence their name 

 came to be identical with informer. 



Figs are about three times as nourishing as bread; 

 this explains their former importance as well as their 

 ])rcsent value in man\ districts. In North Africa hall 

 the meals of the Ivabyles consist onlj- of dried figs; more- 



