The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-08-10
FACTS ABOUT FIGS.
How This Most Luscious and Healthful
Fruit Is Grown.

In Syria, though not generally
known, the fig tree (Facas corica) has
for ages flourished to perfection. Not
only is this tree productive of one of
the most luscious and healthful fruits
grown, but in its season it may be seen
with it's spreading boughs weighted
down with prolific crop that would
astonish those who raise it in this
country under glass or in the open air.
Figs are never so enjoyable as when
partaken of fresh plucked from the
parent tree, although, of course, from
necessity, those from the East only
reach us in their preserved or dried
condition. Green fgs-by which l
mean fresh-gathered figs-are only to
be had for few weeks each season,
and are mostly grown in the Channel
Islands, Guernsey also paying special
attention to their culture, whilst
around Worthing, on the south coast,
they are also raised in quantity. A
few from the south of France and
Spain reach the English markets in
small fiat wooden boxes, holding as a
rule from nine to fifteen fruits each,
and are, when sound, very sweet and
enjoyable.
To the food reformer figs are in
valuable, inasmuch as they are full of
medicinal virtues, and so nutritious as
to enable people to live upon them for
months when eaten with dry bread. l
have made many a delicious meal off
them, with nothing else than piece of
bread and a raw apple or two, and al
ways found myself in the best of health,
strength and spirits in consequence.
An old physician, writing $50 years
ago, says: "Not only are figs nourish-
ing, but they quench thirst, are good
against the stone, resist poison, and
agree with any age or constitution,
and are priceless as a medicine and
food" Smyrna sends us a tremendous
quantity of this popular fruit. The
cultivators simply gather the figs when
ripe, scatter them round the trees, and
allow them to dry in the sun, when
they are ready for expectation; and
when we remember that in one year,
lately, Smyrna exported 216,000,000
pounds weight of this fruit alone, it
will be seen that this crop is an i'm.
portant one with the natives.
The culture of the fig is simple, and
may easily be made to become profit
able industry. The productions of the
forcing house and those raised under
the shelter of walls and otherwise in
the open air, always-when well
grown-meeta ready demand at profit
able rates. Two kinds are grown-the
white and the black-and although the
former are certainly far sweeter than
the latter, yet they are not so popular
with the public, presumably Oh ac-
count of their size-the black being
twice as large, at least and of better
appearance. Both kinds are very pro-
life even in this country, and in the
Channel Islands / know of one tree
from which is produced season after
season, extraordinary crops. In Flor
ida and California especially, they are
laying down thousands of trees in con-
sequence of the success which has al
ready attended their culture there.
The cultivators plant them at the rate
of one hundred trees to the acre, from
which, when full grown, they obtain
two bushels of fruit from each tree.
The supply is not equal to the demand,
and, in consequence, they realize at
the rate of forty pounds sterling net
per acre from same, and at this price
it pays the growers exceedingly well,
and more so when we remember that
one man can manage ten acres OF such
fruit easily, except during the picking
season, when extra help is necessary.
Very few fruit trees require SO little
care or attention, and very few can be
said to pay better. London Echo.