G. GA.SPAKKINI ON THE RIPENING OF FIGS. 



3 



ripen naturally." This explanation was reproduced two years 

 ago in the memoir cited above, with additional reasons. I denied 

 that this liquid could act as a ferment by communicating to the 

 cellular mass a special excitement or decomposition from which 

 a precocious maturity might be derived. I was inclined to recog- 

 nize in what followed, on anointing the mouth of the fig, a cer- 

 tain relation to that of the effect of the pollen on the stigma. 

 This part, having come into contact with the pollen, becomes 

 tender and dies in a short time — a circumstance which conduces, 

 jjT at least in some measure, to the increase of the subjacent ovary. 



The particulars were given of some experiments undertaken 

 with a view of ascertaining whether other substances had the pro- 

 perty of promoting in the same manner the maturation of figs. 

 The result was, that oil of almonds, train-oil, nut-oil, linseed-oil, 

 castor-oil, codliver-oil, lard, and butter operated in the same way 

 as oil of olives. Finally, the milk of the Caper-Spurge (Euphorbia 

 Zathi/ris), applied to the mouth of the Sardinian Fig, gave more 

 or less the same result. 



Vinegar and turpentine were without effect. The almost 

 uniform efficacy of the fatty materials above mentioned appears 

 i clear, on estimating these experiments, when applied, not to the 



body of the fruit, but only to the mouth. It appears, there- 

 fore, that this part is more sensitive to the agents adopted ; and 

 this sensitiveness resides in the little leaves or scales with 

 which the mouth is furnished. Some experiments made on 

 melons, pears, and pomegranates with some of the above sub- 

 stances were without effect. 



Having published the memoir, and not being satisfied with these 

 observations with respect to the operation of the oil and other fatty 

 materials, on thinking over the subject, I perceived that I had not 

 taken into consideration an important circumstauce, viz. that the 

 * first effect of the application being the augmentation of the 



volume of the receptacle, this could not really happen if, as I 

 suspected, the oil disturbed or impeded the functions, especially 

 those of exhalation or respiration — and that, if this were the case, 

 the phenomenon would take place more easily if the substance 

 which promoted the maturation were applied to the w r hole surface. 



In consequence I repeated the experiments last year, with 

 the addition of certain variations. On the 22nd of August I 

 anointed with olive-oil the body of some fruit of the Sardinian 

 Fig, the Tintore, the Winter Fig, and others, leaving the mouth 



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