The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-03-02
EigH.

Although indigenous to Asia and Barbary,
the fig has been so long and SO extensively
cultivated in Italy that it may be considered
native, Oh the ground of the Irishman's re-
mark that lie had been native of a certain
county for ten yearsl The season, Just at
Its height, joins hands in October with the
uendcn'meia, or vintage; but it begins in
August, owing to a curious system of cul-
ture. Early in that month as you sit gasp
ing under the monday sun you hear wild,
ecrie strain Of minor-key which goes echo
ing up and down the slopes with intense
mournfulncss. 1t is the song of the fly
gathcrers, tossing back and forth from hill
side to hillside and from trcetop to tree
top, as they squrm through the twisted
branches and coil the fruit" The tribe is
liomadic, and@appears and disappears like
the wandering harvesters in France, no one
knows whence they come or whittier they
go. Late in July the m,asSarie are rented
to them,' they paying given sum to the
proprietor, and taking possession of all the
fruit, beginning with the figs and ending
with the last waxcn cluster of grapes. Rude
huts thatchcd with straw are built by the
proprietor in all his orchards, and there the
gypsy-ike creatures live with their families
--stalwart, fierce looking men, swarthy,
dark-eycd women and active, 1.-the young
rascals Of children. Sometimes they sup
plement their narrow quarters with ragged
tent--three sticks crosswse and the kettle
In the crotch constitute the Kitchen. Beds
arc an unknown luxury. Indeed, they seem
never to lay aside their clothing and day
and night they patrol the orchards with long
guns and fierce dog, the very sight Of
which is enough to destroy ones appetite
for those particular figs. The process OF
forcing the fruit Is at once begun, and for
many days that wild, sweet song, into
whose wcircd melody the spirit Of their
homeless life seems to have entered, is
heard from tree to tree, in call and res
ponsc, as far rs the faintcst adumbration of
sou Ill can reach. The methods of forcing
the opening are curious. In one wad Of
cotton is dipped in oil and gently rubbed
on the lower end Of the fig. Fig by fg IS
thus treated, and eight days thereafter the
fruit Is ready for the market, when it CON-
mands high price as a 7orinae,tr. An
other method consists in gathering in the
spring the half-formed fruit, which is
strung on ropes rs we string dried fruits
These ropes of garlands arc thrown over
the branches of the tree and allowed to de-
cay under the burning sun. Life out Of
death. An insect ID born from this decay
which pierces the growing fig and induces
the rapid maturity-or, shall we call it, ear
ly decay2 maturity being only that precious
zenith of existence which must inevitably
be followed by decline. Leaving such
premature sweetness to the epicure, one
may we'll be content to wait the result of
natures unhurried process. The fig, when
perfectly ripe, exudes slow drop Of ho-
ney-sweet juice at the neither end, which
never falls, but hangs there, standing
temptation to bees and men. When fresh
picked, at this stage, the fig Is indescribably
luscious, with rich favor entirely lost in
the dried fruit. F..,. t%'5