30 Bulletin 77 



The San Pedro group {Ficus carica var. intermedia) produces 

 two main crops of edible figs. The first crop contains mule flowers 

 that are not susceptible to fertilization, hence pollination is of no 

 value to the horticultural maturity of the fruit. The second crop, 

 however, contains pistillate flowers only, and in the absence of 

 pollen the syconia drop before reaching edible maturity, which is 

 only induced through fertilization and botanical maturity of the 

 pistils. This group is intermediate between the Smyrna on the 

 one hand and the Adriatic on the other. Yellow, White, and Black 

 San Pedro, Gentile, Pitontoni, and Portuguese are perhaps the 

 best known forms of this group. 



The Adriatic or common fig (Ficus carica var. hortensis). To this 

 group belong the common figs grown so extensively throughout the 

 Southern States. The syconia contain large numbers of mule 

 flowers and occasionally a few pistillate ones susceptible of fertiliza- 

 tion. Pollination is not necessary, however, to the production of 

 fruit, since horticultural maturity is perfect in this case. This 

 fig is perhaps a form in which rudimentary pistillate flowers occur 

 not susceptible to pollination, having lost their character of repro- 

 duction by seed, yet maturing the fruit horticulturally. 



The Smyrna fig group {Ficus carica var. smyrnica). This group 

 undoubtedly originated from the pistillate Capri fig. The syconia 

 bear true pistillate flowers and these require pollination to induce 

 edible maturity. It is this very large and important group and the 

 lesser important San Pedro group that require the growing of the 

 staminate Capri fig to furnish the pollen necessary to the setting 

 and maturity of the fruit. 



FIG CULTURE 



CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS 



The fig is subtropical. A summer temperature of 90° F. to 110° F. 

 in the shade, from July to October, accompanied by a comparatively 

 dry atmosphere and no rain, is quite ideal. Cold nights in summer, 

 or rainy weather during the ripening period are very objectionable 

 and destructive, causing much of the ripening fruit to sour before 

 reaching edible maturity. Winter temperatures of 12° F. to 14" F. 

 for short durations are not apt to do serious damage, yet these 

 temperatures may be dangerous when the trees are not given winter 

 protection. 



SOIL 



The fig grows well on all types of soil. A well drained, moist 

 but mellow, sandy loam, well filled with humus is most desirable. 



