Litchfield enquirer., 1831-06-02
FIGS.

BIQIfOeDe f00eL8 lUUttO
 This class of trees may be divided into two species, namely, the domestic fig and the wild fig. The wild 6g-tree resembles, in all its parts, the domestic fg-tree, but it is utterly useless other than as aiding the maturation of the fruit of the latter. This is the operation which has been disputed by some who, because they did not see it, would not believe it, or perhaps they thought, if it were proved, that figs would not afterwards taste quite so pleasantly as before.
 The facts are these :-wild fig-trees are the natural haunts of a peculiar kind of gnats found only in their neigbborhood.- They puncture the figs and deposit their eggs in them, which after while, produce little worms of shining black color, which are considered as species of very small ichneumons. At certain time these worms, transformed into small gnats them- selves, puncture other figs, and thus the process continues in succession. The ker- nels of the figs are the habitations of the future gnats, and figs which these insects refuse to enter, languish, become dry and shrivelled, and fall off without ripening.- On the other hand. those which are fecun- dated by the puncture of the gnats, visibly increased in size, and the seeds, which are larger than in the domestic fig. soon fill the whole cavity of the rind.
 The service which, as have said, they render to the domestic figs, remains to be explained. The first of the two species most prized in Malta, gives double gath ering yearly, namely, in June and August ]; the other bears but once, and is the same sort which is celebrated for its fruitfnlness in the Greek Islands. The June crop of the former so far exhausts the tree, that its second would be of little account unless aremedy were at hand in the little insects. which nestle in the wild figs. When the summer crop makes its appearance, the Maltese are careful to suspend in different parts of domestic fig-trer, several wile figs strung on thread. The flies or gnat which proceed from these. introduce them selves into the domestic figs, and by thei punctures cause in them fermentation which contributes to their ripening.
 As respects the second sort of good figs the same conservative and quickening op eration is necessary for reasons substan tially similar. Being most prolific bear CT, if left to itself it would overwork 1t strength. The young figs sprout so album dantly from the stems, that frequently thu branches cannot be seen on account of th' fruit: with which they are loaded. Accor. dingiys if the tree be neglected, grea quantity of fruit must fall unripened. an, be lost. But by distributing few wild fig among the boughs, the little ichneumon which they breed, issue forth, and 500 provide for themselves snug quarters, or 6 least secure them for their progeny, in tn good figs. With their keen little tweezer. in the shape of a pair of sharp pointe teeth, they bore passage and stow them selves quietly away; and by the juice which they circulate, aud other agencie which they set to work, fermentation fol lows, which so far accelerates the ripenin of the fruit, that by the time it would els drop abortive, the major part of it is fit l. be gathered in good condition, and in tn end almost all tho crop is saved.
 The facts contained in this recital ma not be over and above agreeable to the lov CTS ofthis choice fruit. The solar micro scope hes brought tn light some ugly look ing creatures, which batten on the surfac and amid the sweet frostings of this delec table fruit; but it could not tell all the ste !sy of the prior probings of gnats. and ( inchneumons gambolling ia its little cell' and of eggs and their exuvie being embo somed in every seed.
 Hop to be GIssays sOetcOme.- Give some thing wherever you go, and you wiN b. sure of a good reception.