Practical Fig Culture; in Arizona 35 



arrangement of varieties in the orchard 



Varieties may be arranged to suit the fancy of the grower. In 

 the selection, care must be taken to secure the right varieties and 

 forms. 



Edible figs. — An orchard of edible figs may include any or all 

 forms. Should the area include forms requiring pollination as well as 

 those not requiring pollination, it is desirable to group together 

 the pistillate forms in order to facilitate orchard caprification. 

 When either Smyrna or San Pedro figs are grown it becomes nec- 

 essary to include Capri figs in the planting. 



Capri orchard.- — There are about 30 varieties of Capri figs which 

 differ greatly in bearing habits, producing from one to three crops each 

 year. The selection must include varieties that will produce a con- 

 tinuous crop of figs the year through. The loss of a crop of the series 

 at any time means a loss of the fig wasp. Since the insect requires 

 shade and a cool place, best results are secured by growing the 

 Capri trees rather closely together and in a more or less protected 

 and shaded place. Furthermore, in the care of the tree during the 

 year one should avoid pruning, since this group of varieties will give 

 the best results when the tops are dense. The Capri orchard should 

 be placed within easy access of the edible fig-bearing orchard. 



While Capri figs grown in the Salt River Valley produce crops 

 in summer they do not carry a crop through the winter with the 

 exception of Roeding No. 1, which usually carries a sufficient 

 number of mamme to reinfect the spring crop of Capri figs. 



Assortment of Capri trees. — Capri figs are a class by themselves. 

 The sole purpose of this variety is to provide a home for the fig 

 wasp. Some varieties produce three continuous crops each year, 

 while others produce only one or two. Capri trees do not produce 

 a succession of crops until they are four years old. The collection of 

 Capri figs should then include as many varieties as will supply a 

 continuous crop of figs to carry the wasp through season after season 

 and year after year. 



Capri No. 1 seems to be the ideal form. The remaining varie- 

 ties, however, do produce good crops and will, when pains are taken 

 to caprify them, produce a large number of wasp-bearing figs. With 

 Capri No.l, bearing practically the year through, the ideal combina- 

 tion would be this form grown with Ficus pseudocaypa. The over- 

 wintering crop of the latter species is provided with stamens and 

 will pollinate the first crop of Smyrna. It seems to be more hardy 

 than other Capri figs and bears mamme and profichi crops. 



The proportion of Capri trees. — The genera! practice is to grow 



