FIG CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 69 
States consul at Smyrna, was in San Francisco again, and was taken to our nurs- 
ery of fig trees. At that time the trees were covered with fruit, and he at once 
said that they could not be the wild fig, for the reason that the wild variety never 
attained so large a size as the fruit on the trees before him. He was satisfied that 
the variety was all right. W. B. West, of Stockton, who has probably imported 
‘more kinds of fig trees, and first brought to notice the Verdone, an Italian variety, 
which has been christened ‘‘ White Adriatic,” in this State than any other man 
in California, and who had a part of our importation, never for a moment doubted 
that he had the right variety. Feeling convinced from reports from a few favored 
localities that we had made no mistake, several thousand more cuttings were d's- 
tributed in the winter of 1882-83 and again in 1885-86. These further distributions 
thoroughly disseminated the variety. 
As Mr. Rixford says, much adverse criticism was made on the failure 
of the Bulletin figs to ripen their fruit, and many who ought to have 
known better pronounced the figs wild figs, which had been maliciously 
substituted by the Syrians. It is now known that this was an error 
and that the varieties were the genuine Smyrna figs. On the other 
hand, many reports came in stating that the Bulletin figs had borne 
fruit. Among the reports which caused the greatest sensation was 
one made by a gentleman at the fruit-growers’ meeting in Chico, 
November 22, 1888. This long controversy can not now be referred 
to in detail. Enough to say, the gentleman submitted dried figs sup- 
posed to have come from two Bulletin figs growing on his place 
in ———, Cal. The figs were said to have been cured without sul- 
phuring. It is now known that these figs were not the Bulletin figs, 
but simply the ‘‘Adriatic,” and that the figs had been sulphured before 
drying in order to give thema good color. It is now absolutely certain 
that no Bulletin figs have come to perfect maturity in California 
without artificial pollination, as has been described elsewhere, and 
the nature of this fig variety is such that they never can fully mature 
without pollination or caprification, this being a conclusive proof of 
their being the genuine Smyrna figs of commerce. 
The history of the Gentile fig in California has somewhat the touch 
of aromance. In 1851 or 1852 Mr. Robert Farlay, of San Leandro, 
Alameda County, found a small package outside of the post-office in 
San Francisco. It contained two cuttings, which were planted in his 
nursery. The tree was killed by gophers, but a cutting was saved 
and grown, and gradually became large. Farlay propagated the fig 
tree and sold trees around the country. In 1886 Dr. Ed. Kimball, of 
Hayward, took a cutting from a large tree of this fig growing in the 
town of Hayward and planted it on his place near the town. The 
original Hayward tree is now cut down, but Dr. Kimball’s tree is yet 
a fine large tree bearing well. The writer has seen other trees of this 
same kind in Qther places near Niles, at West Oakland, and also 
on Central avenue, in the town of Alameda. It is remarkable that 
such a fine fig has not been more widely distributed, though it has 
been in the State for forty years. This fig is now planted at Knights 
Ferry, Cal., where it produces very fine first-crop figs, which dry well. 
