[Sca-cooks] Neolithic fig agriculture and storage find

[Stefan li Rous]

Sharon relayed:
  <<< The June 2006 issue of Science magazine reports that  
archeologists have
found nine carbonized fig fruits dating from the early Neolithic period
(11,400 to 11,200 years ago). This discovery calls into question the
belief
that the first domesticated crops were cereals and grains. Read the
abstract.
http://tinyurl.com/ybj4od
Science subscribers may access the full-text of this article on the
magazine
's website. See also the BBC News report of this finding.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5038116.stm  >>>

The article mentions:
"After examining the figs, they determined that it was a self- 
pollinating, or parthenocarpic, variety, like the kind we eat today.
In nature, parthenocarpic fig trees appear now and again by a chance  
genetic mutation; but because they do not produce seeds, they cannot  
reproduce alone - they require a shoot to be removed and replanted."

So what is the advantage of growing a parthenocarpic plant, compared  
to the regular version? It sounds like they take more effort to raise  
than the regular version. Is it just the advantage of not having to  
deal with a seed?

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****