242 
and valueless. The MN — sativa, was in olden times 
extensively grown here; the names of Casals, Zebbug, and Zeitun, 
show how abundantly the ater was cultivated in Malta. During the 
Roman dominion, and subsequently in the 15th century, so much 
was drawn from the Maltese olives that Malta was called the oil- 
shipper of the Mediterranean, The pickled olives of this island were 
held in great esteem by epicures. It is really desirable that this useful 
and very. profitable tree, which is now sparingly cultivated, should be 
widely and generally grown. Though a slow grower it thrives 
wonder fully in low and high localities, even in ‘the most ungrateful soil, 
and in the crevices of calcareous rocks. The sides of the ravines should 
all be covered M plantations of olives. We have reason to believe that 
the variety precox of Risso, which produces a large, oblong, dark fruit 
is Sea to cae varieties. 
tree, Ficus ei ruin called by the Maltese baitar ta 
San Caen f n, ^, and par. c., grows most luxuriantly in Malta, and 
the fruit of all its numerous varieties, sigiar tal halip, come to perfec- 
ion. ho first quality are those known under the name of parsott and 
haped o 
indeed very sweet, covered when pathoredt with a thin white bloom. 
The variety called tin gludi (October) is coarse. The so-called 
zondadari figs having been introduced, as it is supposed, by the Grand 
Master Zondadari from Siena, are round, covered with a whitish bloom, 
internally red, and of a good flavour. All these varieties ripen in 
August ; they | are sold in large quantities in markets and by country- 
women in the town streets at 4d. or less „per pound, the choicest 
varieties being sold at 1d. per Ib. There is an early variety called 
baitar ta San Guian, which ripens in June, the fruit of which is large, 
purple or green; the quality depends much upon the nature of the soil 
in which the tree is cultivated. The fruit coming from the districts of 
Zabbar and Mellieha, especially those coming from the latter, are most 
esteemed, mue that from the district of Città Vecchia is less thought 
of. St. n’s fig-tree produces a second crop of an inferior sort in 
August a - September. With the exception of the St. John’s fi igs all 
varieties are dried by the country people for their own use, and for 
village shops. 
The white mulberry, Morus alba (cewsi, chewsi, or chawsli), was 
widely cultivated when its leaves were wanted for the silkworm, the 
rearing of which is now entirely abandoned. We have two distinct 
varieties: (a) meridionalis of Risso, with a purplish, sweet fruit; and 
(5) esigara, with a white, very saccharine fruit. The fruit of both 
varieties is eaten only by children and the poorer classes. It is a 
ood for | i 
ubstituted for the Phytolacea dioica which, as yet, has been almost 
the only tree planted along the sides of our public roads.* 
the south of Praia vide it rg planted A a T in public abet Other 
species of the genus Phytolacca are herbaceous plants, common in most tropical 
countries. 
