FIGS, THE DrRIOT«r- 



381 



LARGE FIG OF SIEURA LEONE {FlCUS BrassU), SMALL FIG OF SIERRA 



LEONE (^Ficus s^. ?), INDIAN FIG {Opuutia Flcus Indica, 0. vulgaris^ 

 and Other species). 



The t.Tvo former are natives of Sierra Leone, as their name implies, 

 and are held in high esteem both for the good quality of the fruit 

 and the abundance with which it is produced. The fruit of Ficus Brassii, 

 a well-known plant in our stoves, is about the size of our white Ischia fig. 

 The tree is of moderate growth, and produces its fruit abundantly on the 

 old wood. 



The Indian fig is a name by which several species of Opuntia are known 

 in the ti'opics, particularly such as are fruit-bearing. They are considered 

 as wholesome, and although the taste be not very agreeable to most 

 Europeans at first, after they have eaten of them several times they 

 generally become veiy fond of them. Opuntia vulgaris, as well as O. 

 Ficus indicay have been both fruited in the open ah' in this country, and 

 the former in a stove so eaiiy as 1750, in Scotland, by Justice. 



To fruit these plants with certainty will require a temperature of from 

 fifty to fifty-five degrees dming winter, and increased to eighty or ninety 

 degrees during summer, excepting for 0. vulgaris, which has been fruited 

 in the open air by the late Braddick and others, and has stood as a hardy 

 plant in front of an old greenhouse in the Addelston nm'sery for three- 

 fourths of a centmy. 



A rich, well-drained soil, with a mixture of giitty matter, is the most 

 proper for them, and pots of a large size are better than planting them 

 out in the borders of the house. 



THE CURION {Durio zebethinus). 



This tree, which is a native of the East Indies, was only partially 

 introduced into the European gardens in 1825. ^Ye notice it here with 

 the view that some intelhgent horticulturist may be induced to obtain 

 plants of it, which we beheve may be had of the Messrs. Loddiges, or 

 the Horticultural Society. Those having communication with the Cal- 

 cutta garden would find no difficulty in procuring it from that source. 

 Ptumphius says it is by much the most excellent fruit of Incha. We 

 presume that by the same mode of culture which is practised in the case 

 of other rare tropical fruit trees, particularly if grown in a house expressly 

 set apart for the purpose, this fruit might be produced in tolerable 

 perfection. 



