12 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



THE SMYRNA FIG SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER FIGS. 



The statemeut is often made that the Adriatic fig is the best variety 

 to plant, on account of its heavy production and the consequent profit. 

 I have been asked which variety is the most profitable to plant, and have 

 replied: "The Smyrna." This question is exactly like asking which 

 grape makes the best raisin. The answer is, of course, the Muscat, 

 although the Feher Szagos yield more raisins and consequently bring 

 more returns per acre. However, when there is a normal Muscat crop, 

 there is practically no demand for the Feher Szagos and consequently 

 no price which would pay the grower. The Feher Szagos is in demand 

 only when there is a shortage of the raisin crop, because it is an inferior 

 raisin and detracts from the good reputation of the Muscat. This logic 

 applies to the White Adriatic fig. 



The reports current as to the White Adriatic orchards yielding from 

 three to four tons an acre are for orchards located in exceptionally rich 

 and heavy soil, such as Rodger's orchard in Merced, McHenry's in 

 Modesto, and several orchards in the vicinity of Yuba City. It should, 

 however, be borne in mind that these orchards are twenty-five years old. 

 At the present time there is no Smyrna fig orchard in existence in Cali- 

 fornia, excluding Roeding's, which is over twelve j^ears old. And the 

 erratic information that the production of the White Adriatic fig sur- 

 passes that of the Smyrna will be dissipated when the Smjania fig 

 orchards, planted in exceptionally rich and heavy soil, reach the age of 

 twenty-five years. 



I have several reasons for advocating Smyrna fig culture : first, the 

 superiority of the fruit ; second, the quick maturity of the trees — 

 Smyrna fig trees mature in six years, White Adriatic in eight years ; 

 third, the trees show very little or none of the root diseases so common 

 to Adriatics ; fourth, the trees are well adapted to orchard foriii when 

 they are planted 30 by 30 feet apart, whereas the Adriatic at this dis- 

 tance would not be satisfactory ; and furthermore, the tendency of the 

 Smyrna fig tree roots is to go downward and deeper into the soil, while 

 those of the Adriatic have a tendency to spread circumferentially in a 

 shallow depth ; fifth, because it is a fine and luscious fruit, almost free 

 from souring, and of great nutritive and medicinal value. The Smyrna 

 fig may be shipped green and find a ready market with every prospect 

 of good financial returns. 



As to the production of the Smyrna fig, it is very hard to give a 

 definite maximum figure, as there are only a few orchards now in full 

 bearing in the State, and practically all of these are young orchards. 

 The most I can do is to give the comparative production of the Smyrna 

 and the Adriatic in my own orchard. Both varieties have produced 

 equally heavy crops and both have constantly increased the average pro- 

 dnction per acre, which at present is over two tons. This amount will 

 increase as the trees grow older, and will doubtless reach a maximum 

 production of four to five tons per acre Avlien in full bearing at the age 

 of fifteen years. 



In all my experience in fig culture in California I have never seen a 

 total failure. We have had severe frosts and early September rain 

 storms, w^hich lessened the crop one-fifth of its normal production, but 

 never totally destroyed it. The grower can almost alwa}^ rely on a crop. 



