a. [f. L. frūctifer (f. frūctus fruit + -fer bearing) + -OUS.] Bearing or producing fruit; fertilizing.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., III. 85. All other fructiferous trees.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 217. Surfluxes and inundations which fertilize all Egypt, and serve instead of fructiferous rains.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 61. The finely divided, loamy or fructiferous part of the soil.
1857. H. Miller, Test. Rocks, xi. 433. None of its branches yet found bear the fructiferous stalk or spike.
Hence Fructiferously adv.
1626. A. Speed, Adam out of E., xvi. (1659), 134. You may sometimes cast the water that drayneth from the Muck, upon the muck heaps again, which will … desend to the former receptacle more fructiferously.
1635. Heywood, Hierarch., II. Comm. 98. Neither more fructiferously can any thing be found than the holy Trinitie.
