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u tude of this to what happens in fig-trees, call it 
Ci caprification ; and it is performed in the following 
<£ manner: While the male plant is in flower, they 
“ cut off a branch of thefe flowers, and fcatter the 
dufl: and down therein upon the flowers of the 
“ female plant. By thefe means,” he goes on, “ the 
<c female does not call her fruit, but preferves them 
“ to maturity.” Pliny * alfo mentions the like pro- 
cefs. 
Among more modern authors, Profper Alpinus J 
gives us at large the manner of the impregnation of the 
female palm-tree by the male, for the purpofes be- 
fore-mentioned. We have alfo copious accounts of 
the fame procefs by Tournefort §, Kasmpfer ||, and 
Ludwig * * § **. As Kaimpfer was an eye-witnefs, his 
account of this matter is moft to be depended upon. 
He lays, f ‘ Plena res digniffimaque admirationis efl: 
“ modus palmas fiemininas foecundandi. Habet id 
“ tot popularium, Perfidis, Arabian, ALgypti, nutrix 
“ inter plantas fingulare, ut animalium exemplo, 
“ mari llato tempore mifcenda, atque finguli ejus 
t£ uteri, quafi conjugali coitu, impregnandi lint ; fe- 
“ cus omnia lua, quae in lucem prodide at, frudtuum 
u rudimenta, indeclinabili abortu dimiflura. Palmi- 
<f colis itaque incumbit, ut impregnandis arboribus 
“ quotannis impendant operam, fiquidem in fe re- 
u dundare annonam cupiunt. Modus procedendi 
“ hie 
* Plinii Hift. Nat. lib. xiii. cap. iv. 
t Alpin. de plant. ^F.gypt. p, 16. 
§ Ifagog. inftit. rei herbar. p/69. 
|| Amcen. exot. p. 706. 
v * Diflert. dc fexu plant, p. 29. 
