Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-05-18
Fig Culture.

Va HSN1 anu INC preparation Tor tn
market. After ripening on Ii
Trees, they are cured or dried in III
sun and then packed in coars
camels-hair bags and brought b
caravans of from six to lively
camels. Arrived at the bazaar tn
camels are made to kncel down an,
the driver awaits a purchaser. An.
this IS one of the most singular an,
interesting sights to the traveller
The camelS are knecling on ever,
side, and huge jaws moving sIow.1
from side to side, the uncoutI
humps made still more so bv tn,
pack piled upon them, and thei,
great cailous feet and knees foldeC
under them. But the drivers are o
a still uglicr and more indescribabl,
expression and their ill-ftting cos
tune. adds to the effect. Thin, holl3v
checks and sunken, l~eering eyes, :
sharp, almost hooked nose, an i'm
mense mouth whose black teeth ar,
partially concealed by a few strag.
cling yellow hairs of a moustacbe
and a scanty beard covers the chin,
and n fierce wildness of expression
to the whole countenance, which
mades one feel that he wouldn't like
to meet the fellow alone ON a dard
night. Coarse does not express the
texture Of their garments. Gunny
bags seem fine, almost IN compari-
son with some Of them, but they all
have some piece of bright color
tied on somewhere. Some of them
are talking earnestly together, as
much with their arms and features
a: with their Tongues. All arc
smoking the inevitable cigarette.
which is taking the place of the
NaghiIi the latter is more used at
coIeS and in the shops. From this
bazaar the figs are taken to the flo
packing establishment, which is a
long, halI-iikc building, open over
head, with awnings stretched part
way across to shelter the "pictcrs,'
who are ranged along the side Of
the building, from the intense heat
of the sun. These tig-pickors arc
generally haltbIind toothIcss, dirty
Old women; some few children or
other semi-uscIcs smembers of socie-
ty. At any rate, "dirty" applies to
them all, and one doesn't like to
think Of them when he is eating a
delicate eleme. A pile Of soft new
figs is placed beside each one, and
every fig is taken separately and
pulled into shape; the fingers are
molStened occasionally with salt
water, The incest and largest are
put by themselves; the rest are
thrown into Il SHALLOW basket with
Il rim about two inches high. These
are then taken to the packers. The
poorer figs are packed in drums
ana baskets; the best quality are
layer figs, and are packed in square
wooden boxes, in bags or cartoons.
There is q quality called washed
hgs, but the name is Il misnomcr, as
the figs are never washed in no
sense OF the word. The choicest of
the iIgs are generally taken to the
London market, though Of late
years some have been sent to
America. In packing the drums a
handful OF the pulled figs is taken
and arranged with the stems all one
way, and then crowded into the
drum, filing the outer row first. A
layer OF the better figs is placed on
top, and Il t5w laurel leaves laid in,
and then it is taken away, the cover
nailed on, and the box tied up and
pIIed away to await transportation;
there Is no pressing, except what
place in the storc-room, whore
they are piled eight or ten feet high,
and are necessarily pressed by the 7
weight. lntwo or three weeks,
atterward, the fig worm comes ont.
one ont OF every fig. A little white
creature, who leaves his web behind
HIM wherever he goes and he goes
-cyrrywhcro into every ~crcyicc Of
woodwork or metal, and into every
fold Of paper and clothing. The
open end Of every oncof II bunch of
keys has its web Of fg-worm silk
between sheets Of note paper, and
inside the covers of books. On
shipboard, the correspondent says
he 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
-he web can be pulled off in long
'"oil'' peIiSllluI sensation to wake