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THE MONTHLY BULLETIN.«"»rImcA* 



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CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE 



Vol. V. January, 1916. No. 1 



SMYRNA FIG GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



By Henry Markarian, Fresno, Cal. 

 SOIL ADAPTED TO FIG CULTURE. 



To grow figs suecessfnlly in California one must study the nature of 

 the soil and the climatic conditions. The best region in which to grow 

 the Avorld-famed Smyrna and the White Adriatic figs for drying com- 

 mercially would bo the eastern portion of the San Joaciuin Valley lying 

 between Merced and Bakersfield, especially the region near the Sierra 

 foothills. Other sections fairly well adapted to fig culture are in 

 northern California, the region lying between ]\Iary.sville and Red Bluff 

 in the Sacramento Valley and in southern California the interior 

 valleys, Avhere in summer the climate is dry, almost entirely rainless, 

 free from fogs and excessive dews, and where from June to September 

 the temperature ranges from 90 to 100 degrees or over in the shade. 



A soil that is heav3^ rich, and deep, inclined to be reddish in color, 

 and with plenty of irrigation water, is desirable. In this kind of soil a 

 planting distance of 33 by 33 feet to 40 by 40 feet is recommended. 

 Red soil underlaid by red hardpan from twelve inches to three feet, if 

 properly blasted, is good. This soil contains an abundance of iron, 

 lime and potassium, the elements essential to the successful culture of 

 figs. Although trees take one or two years longer to mature in this kind 

 of soil, still it will produce clean, white and elegant fruit, with hardly 

 any that are sour or split. The life of the tree under these favorable 

 conditions would be almost everlasting; in this kind of soil, plant 

 30 by 30 feet; but in sandy soil (drift sand), alkali, or in places Avhere 

 the high-water level is three feet ])elow the surface, it is impossible to 

 grow fig trees successfull3^ Neither are bottom lands adjoining rivers 

 suitable, as the figs are inclined to sour and split. 



LEVELING THE GROUND AND PLANTING. 



For planting the fig tree I would recommend level laud, if possible, 

 so that during irrigation the water will not form pools and cause stag- 

 nation. The ground should be leveled into large checks, so that when 

 irrigating the Avater can lie held back to give an even distribution over 

 the entire surface of the laud. If it is not level, grade the land simi- 

 larly to orange orchards and adapt the furrow method of irrigation. 

 Run several furrows l)etween the rows so that a stream of water can run 

 down the furrows for two or tlu'ce days each time when irrigating. 

 This is absolutely necessary for two years after planting, in order to 

 insure a rapid growth of the trees, which will, no doubt, hasten the trees 

 into early bearing. The ground should he plowed not less than eight 

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