the fig-tree; a genus of the trioeia order, belonging to the polygamy class of plants. There are ten species, of which the following are the most remarkable.

1. The carica, or common fig, with an upright stem branching 15 or 20 feet high, and garnished with large palmated or hand-shaped leaves. Of this there are a number of varieties; as the common fig, a large, oblong, dark purplish blue fruit; which ripens in August either on standards or walls, and the tree carries a great quantity of fruit.—The brown or chestnut fig; a large, globular, chestnut-coloured fruit, having a purplish delicious pulp, ripening in July and August.—The black ischia fig; a middle-sized, shortish, flat-crowned, blackish fruit, having a bright pulp; ripening in the middle of August.—The green ischia fig; a large, oblong, globular-headed, greenish fruit, slightly stained by the pulp to a reddish-brown colour; ripens in the end of August.—The brown ischia fig; a small, pyramidal, brownish-yellow fruit, having a purplish very rich pulp; ripening in August and September.—The Malta fig; a small flat-topped brown fruit, ripening in the middle of August or beginning of September.—The round brown Naples fig; a globular, middle-sized, light-brown fruit, and brownish pulp; ripe in the end of August.—The long, brown, Naples fig; a long dark-brown fruit, having a reddish pulp; ripe in September.—The great blue fig; a large blue fruit, having a fine red pulp.—The black Genoa fig; a large, pear-shaped, black-coloured fruit, with a bright red pulp; ripe in August.

2. The fycamorus, or fycamore of scripture. According to Mr Hafelquilt, this is a huge tree, the stem being often 50 feet round. The fruit is pierced in a remarkable manner by an insect. There is an opening made in the calyx, near the time the fruit ripens, which is occasioned in two different ways. 1. When the squame, which cover the calyx, wither and are bent back; which, however, is more common to the carica than the fycamore. 2. A little below the scales, on the side of the flower-cup, there appears a spot before the fruit is ripe: the fruit in this place is affected with a gangrene which extends on every side, and frequently occupies a finger's-breadth. It withers; the place affected becomes black; the fleshy substance in the middle of the calyx, for the breadth of a quill, is corroded; and the male blossoms, which are nearest to the bare side, appear naked, opening a way for the insect, which makes several furrows in the inside of the fruit, but never touches the stigma, though it frequently eats the germin. The wounded or gangrenous part is at first covered or shut up by the blossoms; but the hole is by degrees opened and enlarged of various sizes in the different fruits; the margin and sides being always gangrenous, black, hard, and turned inwardly. The same gangrenous appearance is also found near the squame, after the insect has made a hole in that place. The tree is very common in the plains and fields of Lower Egypt. It buds in the latter end of March, and the fruit ripens in the beginning of June. June. It is wounded or cut by the inhabitants at the time it buds; for without this precaution, they say, it would not bear fruit.

3. The religiosa, or banian-tree, is a native of several parts of the East Indies. It hath a woody stem, branching 20 or 30 feet high, with heart-shaped entire leaves, ending in acute points.—It is called by the Dutch, devil's-tree; and by the inhabitants of Ceylon, budugaba, and budugha. Buddu, according to the tradition of these countries, was the name of the prophet who first taught the Indians under the grateful shade of this tree: for this reason, they not only give this species of fig a name commemorative of their prophet, but likewise pay it a particular veneration, by celebrating all their sacrifices under its shade.

Culture. The carica is the species most frequently cultivated in this country, and the only one which does not require to be kept in a house. It may be propagated either by suckers arising from the root, by layers, or by cuttings.—The suckers are to be taken off as low down as possible; trim off any ragged part at bottom, leaving the tops entire, especially if for standards; and plant them in nursery-lines at two or three feet distance from each other, or they may at once be planted where they are to remain; observing, that if they are designed for walls or espaliers, they may be headed to six or eight inches in March, the more effectually to force out lateral shoots near the bottom; but, if intended for standards, they must not be topped, but trained with a stem, not less than 15 or 18 inches for dwarf-standards, a yard for half-standards, and four, five, or six feet for full standards. Then they must be suffered to branch out to form a head; observing, that, whether against walls, espaliers, or standards, the branches or shoots must never be shortened unless to procure a necessary supply of wood: for the fruit is always produced on the upper parts of the young shoots; and if these are cut off, no fruit can be expected.—The best season for propagating these trees by layers is in autumn; but it may be also done any time from October to March or April. Choose the young pliable lower shoots from the fruitful branches: lay them in the usual way, covering the body of the layers three or four inches deep in the ground, keeping the top entire, and as upright as possible; and they will be rooted and fit to separate from the parent in autumn; when they may be planted either in the nursery, or where they are to remain, managing them as above directed. The time for propagating by cuttings is either in autumn at the fall of the leaf, or any time in March: choose well-ripened shoots of the preceding summer; short, and of robust growth, from about 12 to 15 inches long; having an inch or two of the two-year wood at their base, the tops left entire; and plant them six or eight inches deep, in a bed or order of good earth, in rows two feet asunder: and when planted in autumn, it will be eligible to protect their tops in time of hard frost, the first winter, with any kind of long loose litter.

Uses. Figs are a considerable article in the materia medica, chiefly employed in emollient cataplasms and pectoral decoctions. The best are those which come from Turkey. Many are also brought from the south of France, where they prepare them in the following manner. The fruit is first dipped in scalding-hot ley made of the ashes of the fig-tree, and then dried in the sun. Hence these figs stick to the hands, and seem like lixivial salts; and for the same reason they excite to stool, without griping. They are moderately nutrimental, grateful to the stomach, and easier to digest than any other of the sweet fruits. They have been said to produce lice, when eaten as a common food; but this seems to be entirely without foundation. The reason of this supposition seems to be, that in the countries where they grow naturally, they make the principal food of the poor people, who are generally troubled with these vermin. The wood of the ficus is not subject to rot; and has therefore been used for making of coffins, in which embalmed bodies were put. Mr Hasselquist affirms, that he saw in Egypt, coffins made of this kind of wood, which had been preserved for 2000 years.

FIDDLE. See VIOLIN.