FICUS CARICA. 
171 
green colour on the upper surface, with a pale green longitudinal 
vein to each lobe j the under surface is of a pale green, reticulated 
and downy ; they stand upon strong, round footstalks ; the fruit in 
Its early stage serves as a common receptacle, and contains upon its 
inner surface all the florets, which are both male and female : the 
former has the proper calyx divided into three segments, which are 
lance-shaped, erect, and equal; there is no corolla 3 the filaments 
are bristly, the length of the calyx, and support double anthers ; the 
proper calyx of the female florets is divided in five pointed segments ; 
the germen is ovate, with a tapering style, inflexedand crowned with 
two pointed, reflexed stigmas ; the seed, which is roundish and some- 
what compressed, is contained in the calyx. 
The fig tree appears to have been cultivated at a very early period, 
and the fruit both as an article of food and for medicinal pur- 
poses, was held in great estimation by the ancients, who took much 
pains to bring it to perfection by a process termed caprification, 
which in some countries is still continued. The cultivators had 
observed that the fruit of this tree frequently withered and 
dropped off before it arrived at a slate of maturity, and upon ex- 
amination it was discovered that those figs succeeded best which had 
been perforated by certain winged insects, which, therefore, were 
supposed to be instrumental in ripening the Iruit. Tiiis gave rise to 
caprification, which formerly consisted in tying near the young figs 
the fruit of the wild fig tree, in which the flies above mentioned 
breed in abundance ; these insects upon acquiring suflicient 
strength, issue from the wild fruit, and by penetrating the young 
figs produce the effect intended. That this insect, which by the 
ancients was called Psems, or Culex, and by Linnjeus Cynips Psenes, 
produced this desirable effect is generally admitted ; and which 
appears to arise from the larvae crawling within the figs, thereby 
scattering the pollen, and thus perfecting the impregnation of the 
female florets. The figs when ripe are dried, either by the heat of 
the sun or in ovens, to preserve them : the latter mode is preferred, 
as it destroys any of the larvae of the Cynips that may remain ; when 
sufficiently dry they are closely packed in small chests, as we see 
them in this country. The best figs are imported from the southern 
parts of Europe, and the most luscious are said to be those of 
Kalamata in the Morea. 
Qualities, &c. The recent fruit is soft, luscious, and succu- 
lent; the dried, as imported, has a peculiar sweet taste; externally 
of a brownish colour, crusted over with crystals of sugar ; internally 
it consists of a sweet viscid pulp, in which are scattered numerous 
