22 



CIRCULAR NO. 126, BUREAU OP PLANT INDUSTRY. 



project and considerable assistance has been given in encouraging 

 the industry. Three thousand seedlings of desirable varieties have 

 been planted on the farm, from which some excellent new varieties 

 may be expected. The seedling dates include a row that was planted 

 around the farm for ornamental purposes. Offshoots from 15 varie- 

 ties of imported palms have been planted, and additional varieties 

 will be planted as fast as they become available from other stations. 

 Some difficulty has been experienced in getting transplanted offshoots 

 to grow. The difficulty has been largely overcome by planting the 

 offshoots (fig. 3) in soil having good drainage and then irrigating 

 every other day during the summer months. Date offshoots seem to 



Fig. 3.— View showing method of rooting date-palm olTshools in nursery rows on the Yuma Experiment 



Farm. 



require that the immediately surrounding soil shall constantly be in 

 a nearly saturated condition. Under this treatment the percentage 

 of offshoots that do not root has been greatly decreased. 



FIGS. 



The soil and climatic conditions on the Yuma Project are well 

 adapted to fig culture. Figs of good cpiality can be placed on the 

 market early in the season. The Smyrna is the best fig that is mar- 

 keted at the present time. In contrast to the common varieties of 

 figs, which are self-pollinated, the Smyrna fig is cross-pollinated 

 through the agency of a small insect . The requirements necessary to 

 carry this insect through the winter and to insure its presence in 



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