PLANTS. 
2 S 9 
4 6. Ceratonia Siliaua e . Carob tree. 
4 7. Mufa paradifiaca f . The Plaintain-tree. 
This flowers in Egypt in the months of Oftober 
and November, i. e. after the inundation of the 
Nile. It flowers, therefore, at a time when the air 
temperate, and the earth moift, and the fruit ri- 
Pens when the air is exceflively hot. The fruit is 
fweet, rather hardifli, or between a pear and a 
date, a little vifcid and mealy, melting in the mouth 
Without being chewed. It foon becomes four, and 
c an’t be kept above fix days in Egypt, after it is 
taken from the plant. It is to be had frefh from 
the latter end of May to the latter end of October, 
Ri'owing plentifully near Rofetta; but it is very 
Scarce at Cairo, tho’ it grows there, but the trees 
are almolt all barren, producing but little fruit. 
Which is kept for ladies of the hr ft quality. 
48. Ficus fycomorus s. The Scripture Sycamore, 
This is a huge tree, the Item being often fifty 
f eet thick. The fruit is pierced or bored by an in- 
(Cynips fycomori) about the time it ripens, in a 
Ve ry remarkable manner. There is an opening 
^ade in the Calyx, near the time the fruit ripens, 
*hich is occafioned in two different manners : 
*■ When the Squamae, which cover the Calyx, wi* 
*her and are bent back, as in the Ficus Carica (com- 
^on Fig-tree) tho’ this is not very common in the 
Lin. Sp.Pl. P. 1513.N. x. f P, 1477. N. 1. s P. 15 13. 
S 2 
Sycamore. 
