The best grades of figs should be pulled or flattened before packing.
This pulling consists first in squeezing the fig with the hand to soften
it, and then flattening it so as to shape it into a disk in which the
eye and stalk are nearly in the center of the flat sides, as may be
observed in packages of figs imported from Smyrna. The object of this
pulling is to have the figs present as fine a surface as possible when
they are pressed and packed, this method enabling the packer to hide the
eye and stalk ends effectually. For inferior brands it will suffice to
simply flatten the figs in such a way that the eye and stalk are at
opposite extremities of the fruit when pressed. In pulling and handling
the figs, the hands of the worker should always be moistened with salt
water to prevent them from becoming sticky with sirup and thus soiling
the figs.