FIGUS, (Encycl.) That part of the history of the fig-tree, which for many ages was so enigmatical, and which nothing but the doctrine of the sexes of plants has completely cleared up, namely, the husbandry or caprification, as it is called, is more particularly worthy of attention, not only as a singular phenomenon in itself, but as it has furnished one of the most convincing proofs of the reality of the sexes of plants. Our limits will not allow us to detail this subject; in brief it is this: It is now known, that the flowers of the fig-tree are situated within a pulpy receptacle, which we call the fig, or fruit of this tree; of these receptacles, in the wild fig-tree, some have male flowers only, and others have male and female, both distinct, though placed in the same receptacle. In the garden, or cultivated fig, these are found to contain only female flowers; which are fecundated by means of a kind of goat bred in the fruit of the wild fig-trees, which pierces that of the cultivated, in order to deposit its eggs within; at the same time diffusing within the receptacle the farina of the male flowers. Without this operation the fruit may ripen, but no effective seeds are produced: hence the garden fig can only be propagated by layers and cuttings, in those countries where the wild fig is not known. The process of thus ripening the fruit, in the oriental countries, is not left to nature, but is managed with great art, and different degrees of dexterity, so as to reward the skilful husbandman with a much larger increase of fruit than would otherwise be produced. A tree of the same size, which, in Provence, where caprification is not practised, may produce about 25 pounds of fruit, will, by that art, in the Grecian islands, bring ten times that quantity.