12 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
As seen from the above names and further reference to the cata- 
logue, nearly all these figs come from Italy, Spain, and France, and 
not a single one from Asia Minor. None, in fact, belongs to the race 
of figs which requires caprification to set fruit. This will explain why 
the European students of this collection of figs have failed to recog- 
nize the nature and necessity of caprification. This collection of figs, 
being the one used by Dr. Hogg in his well-known work on fruit cul- 
ture in England, will always remain a standard collection for identi- 
fication of varieties. 
IMPORTATION OF BLASTOPHAGA, 
The first importation of the live Blastophaga to California was made 
in the spring of 1891. At that time the late Mr. James Shinn received 
from a friend in Smyrna several small boxes with caprifigs contain- 
ing live Blastophaga. As Mr. Shinn possessed at his place at Niles 
the largest and oldest trees of the Bulletin importation of Smyrna figs, 
he had naturally taken interest in the fig question. Having as a friend 
a missionary in Smyrna, he had requested his assistance in procuring 
the insects. The latter were turned loose among his Smyrna fig trees, 
and the insects were seen to hatch and fly about. Later, in July of 
the same year, another shipment of Blastophaga was received by Mr. 
Shinn from the same gentleman. These were turned out among the 
fig trees at the end of July, during a visit to Niles of Mr. KE. W. Mas- 
lin and the writer. None of these insects succeeded in taking hold. 
There were two reasons for this, as the writer pointed out at the 
time. One was that the only ecaprifig then growing on the spot pro- 
duced only a single crop a year. When the insects flew out there 
were no young caprifigs in which to lay eggs. The other reason was 
that the Blastophaga had hatched on the road and had, of course, 
been fertilized by the males at the time. As this had taken place 
some time previous, it was probable that the eggs had degenerated 
and become reabsorbed. All the males were dead upon the arrival 
of the figs, and even if they had been alive no new copulation could 
have taken place. During the following few years caprifigs contain- 
ing Blastophaga were received from Smyrna by Mr. George Roeding 
and Mr. Anthony C. Denotovitch, of Fresno, Cal., but the Blastophaga 
always failed to take hold, for the reasons stated above. All the eap- 
rifigs imported so far had been of the second crop, or mammoni. 
So far no mamme had been received. Previous to this, or in 1890, 
during the author’s visit to Washington, D. C., both Dr. C. V. Riley 
and Dr. L. O. Howard had taken a lively interest in the caprifig 
question. When Dr. Howard later on became the head of the Division 
of Entomology, he decided to introduce the Blastophaga to California, 
and, if necessary, send some one to Smyrna to secure them. He was 
authorized by the Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, to 
make the attempt, and in 1897 communicated with the author and 
