customed. The Indian fig tree, or, as the English generally term it, the Banyan tree, is a remarkable species of the same genus as the European fig tree. The Portuguese call it the rooting tree, because, by letting a kind of gummy string fall from its branches, they take root and gradually enclose a vast circuit. This of course forms a delightful alcove or bower, in the midst of which stands the main trunk; and hence old Gerarde, gardener to Lord Burleigh, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, appropriately called it the arched Indian fig tree. To this Milton alludes in the following beautiful description : Branching so broad and long, that in the ground The wood of the common fig tree being porous and spongy, is of little use; but that of the Egyptian or Pharaoh's fig tree was used, on account of its extreme durability, for the coffins in which the mummies were interred. The stem of this sort is often fifty feet thick in its native country. The fruit is good even in this country, where it is called the mulberry fig, and the tree has obtained the name of the sycamore. The sorts first described will ripen their fruits on standards when in a warm situation, but the other kinds require to be placed against sunny walls, or their fruit will not ripen. They will produce most fruit upon a strong loamy soil, rather than on dry ground. The cultivation of the fig in the islands of the Grecian Archipelago is so very curious, that it would not be right to pass it by unnoticed. The wild tree bears three different kinds of fruit: the first are called Sornites, the second Cratirites, and the third Orni. The first appear in Atgust; they contain little worms, hatched from eggs deposited by flies. In October and November these little worms become flies. These flies pierce the second sort of figs, which continue till the month of May following, and furnish a fodgement for the second class of flies. In May the third sort of figs appears, and when they are grown to a certain size, and begin to open at the eye, they are pierced by the flies which have been produced in the second sort of figs. As soon as the worms bred in the third sort are transformed into flies, which happens in the month of May or July, the Grecian peasants gather them, and bring them into contact with the garden fig trees. The success of this tedious operation all depends upon this circumstance, and hence they inspect both their wild and their garden fig trees every morning, to examine the eye of the fig, by which they judge when the flies are about to issue from the wild figs, and when they may be applied so as to pierce the garden figs. The insects are then deposited on such trees as are fit to receive them, and enter the fruit at the eye, where they lay their eggs; the worms produced by which cause the garden figs to attain their proper size and maturity. The consequence of all this trouble is, that garden fig trees, which would scarcely yield twenty-five pounds of ripe figs, are brought to produce more than ten times that quantity. This process is called Caprification. As to the manner in which the puncture of the flies contributes to enlarge and mature the fruit; it may possibly be by lacerating the vessels and extravasating the nutritious juice when they deposit their eggs: with the egg they may also in troduce some liquor, which gently ferments with the juice of the fig, and thereby softens its pulp. Even the Provence and Paris figs ripen much sooner by wounding their buds with a straw or feather dipped in olive oil; and plums and also pears are found to ripen soonest when wounded by insects; and it is remarkable, that, in the last named fruits, that part of the pulp which borders on the wound made by the insect is always the most delicious. APRIL. APRIL is derived from Aprilis, of aperio, I open, because the earth, in this month, begins to open her bosom for the production of vegetables. The Saxons called this month oster-monat, from the goddess Goster, or because the winds were found to blow generally from the east in this month. Remarkable Days In APRIL 1819. 1.-ALL FOOLS' DAY. On this day every body strives to make as many fools as he can: the wit chiefly consists in sending persons on what are called sleeveless errands, for the history of Eve's mother, for pigeon's milk, stirrup oil, and similar ridiculous absurdities. The making of April fools, after all the conjectures which have been formed touching its origin, is probably borrowed by us from the French, who call them April Fish (Poissons d'Avril), i. e. simpletons, or, in other words, silly mackerel, who suffer themselves to be caught in this month. But as, with us, April is not the season of that fish, we have very properly substituted the word 'FOOLS.' On the custom of keeping fools at court, and the dress of the domestic fool in Shakspeare's time, consult T.T. for 1815, p. 118, et seq. *3. A. D. 33.-CRUCIFIXION OF OUR SAVIOUR. 3.-RICHARD, Bishop. Richard, surnamed de Wiche, from a place in Worcestershire where he was born, was educated at the Universities of Oxford and Paris. He afterwards travelled to Bononia, where he studied the canon law for seven years. On his return home he was nominated to the see of Chichester by the chapter; but his appointment being opposed by the king, Richard appealed to Rome, and had his election confirmed by the pope, who consecrated him also at Lyons in the year 1245. He was as remarkable for his learning and diligence in preaching, as he was for integrity. Richard was canonized by Pope Urban. 4.- -PALM SUNDAY. In the missals, this day is denominated Dominica in ramis Palmarum, or Palm Sunday, and was so called from the palm branches and green boughs formerly distributed on that day, in commemoration of our Lord's riding to Jerusalem. Sprigs of box-wood are still used as a substitute for palms in Roman Catholic countries.-See also T.T. for 1815, p. 84. 4. SAINT AMBROSE. Our saint was born about the year 340, and was educated in his father's palace, who was Prætorian Præfect of Gaul. He ruled over the see of Milan with great piety and vigilance for more than twenty years; during which time, he gave all his money to pious uses, and settled the reversion of his estate upon the church. He converted the celebrated St. Augustine to the faith, and, at his baptism, composed that divine hymn, so well known in the church by the name of Te Deum. He died aged fifty-seven, A.D. 396. *5. A.D. 33.—our Lord's resurrection. *6. 1804.-REV. W. GILPIN DIED, ZOUCH. So well known for his elegant writings on the Picturesque, his Lives of the Reformers,' 'Sermons to Country Congregations,' and various other works. Mr. Gilpin drew with the pencil of an artist, and he made his amusement subservient to the best interests of mankind. With the produce of his picturesque works he established two schools in his parish, one for boys and another for girls; and from the sale of his original drawings and manuscripts a sufficient sum was raised permanently to endow them. An excellent little tract of his, called 'An Explanation of the Duties of Religion,' was drawn up for the use of these schools. 8.-MAUNDY THURSDAY. This day is called, in Latin, dies Mandati, the day of the command, being the day on which our Lord washed the feet of his disciples, as recorded in the second lesson. This practice was long kept up in the monasteries. After the ceremony, liberal donations were made to the poor, of clothing and of silver money, and refreshment was given them to mitigate the severity of the fast. On the 15th April, 1731 (Maundy Thursday), the Archbishop of York washed the feet of a certain number of poor persons. James II was the last king who performed this in person. A relic of this custom is still preserved in the donations dispensed at St. James's on this day; the ceremonies of which, as also those at Rome and Moscow on |