62 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



tion water after the trees have suffered somewhat for lack of it. In 

 fact, anything that suddenly stimulates the circulation of sap, causing 

 a gorging of the fig with juice, the pressure of which the tender skin 

 is unable to resist, causes it to split open. Fig trees planted along 

 irrigating ditches where the supply of moisture is continuous, show less 

 split figs than trees in the same orchard where the supply of moisture 

 is intermittent. If a period of splitting is followed by dry, warm 

 weather, Smyrna figs, on account of the great percentage of sugar, will 

 dry without souring and make second rate figs, which the past two 

 seasons have sold to bakers at two cents per pound. The loss, therefore, 

 on this account, is not serious. 



CAPRI VARIETIES. 



One of the important requirements in successful Smyrna fig growing 

 is an assortment of good Capris. Since the industry is absolutely 

 dependent on the Blastophaga, varieties should be grown which never 

 fail to carry through a good winter (Marame) crop, which insures an 

 abundant June (Profichi) crop. A good Profichi Capri-fig should 

 contain a good staminate cluster with an abundance of pollen, and 

 should be followed by a good late summer (Mammoni) crop. The 

 last mentioned is of more importance than generally supposed. Some 

 otherwise good Capri varieties almost fail to produce the Mammoni 

 crop, or fail to yield these figs at the proper time to make the suc- 

 cession of generations of Blastophaga complete. A hiatus in the late 

 fall crop is fatal to the winter crop upon which the main or Profichi 

 crop depends. It is recommended that at least two good Capri trees 

 be planted for each acre of Smj^rnas and that these trees be planted in 

 a clump by themselves and, if possible, in the spot on the ranch most 

 free from frost. It is well known that some of the Capri varieties in 

 cultivation fail to produce all of the three crops; it is therefore advis- 

 able to plant several varieties of Capri trees, because they will assist 

 each other in keeping up the succession of insects. 



It is perhaps unnecessary to mention a list of desirable Capri 

 varieties, as this has been done repeatedly at other fruit growers' con- 

 ventions. A few words should, however, be given to the Abyssinian 

 species, Ficus pseudocarica, still new and little known in California 

 because in some features it is unique among Capri-figs. First in 

 importance is the fact that the over-wintering crop is provided with 

 stamens, first noticed by Walter T. Swingle of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, and therefore important as a source of 

 pollen available sufficiently early to pollinate the first crop Smyrna and 

 other early figs. Another feature of importance is that during the 

 past winter, which has been disastrous to the Mamme and consequently 

 to the succeeding Profichi crop of Smyrna Capri, almost throughout 

 the state, this variety in Imperial Valley and at Santa Barbara, where 

 the oldest trees of the species are established, has produced unusually 

 heavy Mamme and Profichi crops. It is possible that climatic dif- 

 ferences may account for the large crops in the localities mentioned, 

 but its performance in other localities will soon be determined because 

 the species has now been widely disseminated. 



PRESERVING MAMME CAPRI-FIGS. 



For the third time the writer has made successful experiments in 

 preserving Mamme Capri-figs through the winter, first attempted by 



