The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-05-16
Fig Culture.

A~nt'resIlng account OF the culture
or figs, and the preparation fer the
market. Aftor ripening on the
trees, they are cured or dried in the
sun and then packed in coarse,
camels-hair bags and brought by
caravans Of from six to twelve
camels. Arrived at the bazaar the
camels arc made to knecl down and
the driver awaits a purchaser. AnC
this is one Of the most singular ant
interesting sights to tho traveller
The camcls are k%nccling on ever,
side, and huge jaws moving slowly
from side to side, tho uncoutl
humps made still more so by tb,
pack piled upon them, and Then
great callous feet and knees loldeC
under them. But the drivers are o.
q still uglicr and more indcscribabIl
expression and their ill-ftting COS
tumcsadds to the effect. Thin, hollow
checks and sunkcn, l~ccring eyes, +;
sharp, almost hooked nose, an i'm
mense mouth whose black teeth arc
partially concealed by II few strag
Cling yellow hairs Of Il moustachc
and a scanty beard covers the chin
and a fierce wildncss Of expression
TO tho whole c]ountcnance, which
madcs one feel that he wouldn't like
to meet the fellow alone ON Il dare
night. Coarse does not express the
texture Of their garments. Guumy
bags seem fine, almost in compari.
son with some Of them, but they all
have somo piece Of bright coIol
tied on somewhere. Some Of them
are talking earnestly together, as
much with their arms and features
as with their Tongues. All arc
smoking the inevitable cigarette.
which is taking the place Of the
Naghili the latter is more used III
rates and in the shops. From this
bazaar the figs arc taken TO the fig.
packing establishment, which is ;
long, hall-likc building, open over
head, with awnings stretched part
way across to shelter the "pickcrs,'
who are ranged along the side OF
the building, from the intense heat
OF the sun. These hg-pickors are
generally halfbIind, toothIcss, dirty
old women; somo iow children OF
other Scmi-usclcss members Of socic-
ty. At any rate, "dirty" appIics to
them all, and one doesn't like to
think Of them when he is eating q
delicate eIcmr. a pile Of soft new
figs is placed beside each one, and
every fig is taken separately and
pulled into shape; the fingers are
moistoncd occasionally wjth salt
water, The incest and largest arc
put by Themselves; the rest arc
thrown into Il shallow basket with
a rim about two inches HIGH. Ihcu
are then taken to the packers. THE
poorer figs + packed in drums
and baskets; the best quality are
layer figs, and arc packed in square
wooden boxes, in bags on cartoons,
There is u quality called washed
figs, but the name lisa mj~nomcr, Us
the figs are never washed in NO
s,nso Of the word. The choicest Of
tho figs are generally taken to the
London market, though OF late
years some hnyo been sent to
America. In packing tho drums q
handful Of the pulled Ggs is taken
and arranged with the stems all one
way, and then c"owdcd into tn,
drum, filling the outer row first. A
layer Of the better tics il placed OF
top, and II few laurel leaves laid in
and then it is taken away, the coycl
nailed ON, and the box tied up and
piled away to await transportation
there is no pressing, except what
takes place in the storc-room, where
thoy mre piled eight ort ten feet high.
and are necessarily pressed by thea
own weight. In two or three weeks,
attcrward, tho fig worm comes out,
n out Of every fg. A little white
creature, who leaves his web behind
him wherever he g,cs, and he goes
-ovcrywhcrc into every c~royico OF
woodwork or metal, and into every
fold Of paper aud clothing. The
open end Of every oncof Il bunch OF
keys has its web Of li%-worm silk
between sheets of note paper, and
inside tho overs Of books. On
s%hipbomd, tho correspondent says
ho has found him in the maintop,
and says would have found him at
the truck had he looked. SO many
are there from Il cargo Of FIGS that
tho web can be pulled Off in long
strips from tho moulding around the
cabin. Delightful sensation to wake
up in the night with two or three
crawling, cold, over ones face. "Bc
careful not to sleep with your mouth
OPEN" was Il caution given every
night on retiring. The larger figs
are packed more carefully, each one
being pressed out into shape before
being placed in the box; after one
layer is packed the box is turned,
"cnd for end" and so on until the
box is full; at the top II few laurel
leaves are laid in, and the cover is
nailed IN. The ~suå process
takes place after the figs come into
cold weather. A few frosty days
and nights is sufficient to sugar them
finely. No SUGARS used in packing
them. The choicest FIGS arc OF
medium size and hayo very thin,
transparent skin, to the very end of
tho fig.
Durability of Nanus-