116 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
The seeds in our common figs consist only of empty, glossy shells, 
with no trace of kernel. All such seeds have no taste and can in no 
way contribute to the flavor of the dried.fig. Not so, however, with 
Smyrna figs which have been caprificated. They all contain seed of 
large size, with a full, oily kernel, which, when crushed, is found to 
be in the highest degree aromatic and ‘‘nutty.” Such seed, when 
present in sufficient quantity, greatly contribute to the quality of the 
figs, giving them an intensely aromatic flavor. It is only during the 
process of drying that the aromatie taste of the seed is permeated 
through the pulp ofthe fig, in very much the same manner as almonds 
and other nuts communicate their flavors to puddings, preserves, or 
canned fruits generally. Smyrna figs when dried are therefore more 
highly flavored than any other figs. To the fresh fig the seeds do not 
communicate this aroma, and fresh caprificated figs are therefore not 
superior to other fresh figs; at least the caprification does not produce 
the superiority, if there is one.! 
WHICH FIGS SHOULD BE CAPRIFICATED? 
The shortest answer to this question is, all figs which drop off if not 
caprificated. It has not yet been fully ascertained which these figs 
are. It is only certain that the great majority of figs will mature their 
receptacles without caprification. In California we have, however, 
for some ten years had growing several varieties imported from 
Smyrna, and of these none perfected fruit until they were artificially 
pollinated. This class, then, requires pollination and caprification, 
and must be caprificated if fruit is to be expected. We have also had 
other figs in California which have never matured fruit, though 20 
years old. 
Another class of figs requires caprification for the second erop. 
Among such varieties San Pedro is the most prominent one. But 
there are other varieties like the white San Pedro, the Portuguese 
of Italy, the Gentile, ete., all of which set their first crop, but drop 
their second crop. Microscopic examination shows that the second 
crop of these figs possesses fully developed female flowers, while the 
first crop which matures has only flowers with abortive ovaries. In 
another place in this paper I have related my experiments in eapri- 
ficating the second crop of San Pedro and Gentile and the success 
achieved, undoubtedly proving that caprification is necessary for a 
certain crop while it is not necessary for another crop. Another 
class or type of figs which requires caprification for one of its crops is 
the one to which the Adriatie fig belongs. This class drops its first 
1T was the first one to call attention to the value of the fig seed as a source of 
aroma and flavor in dried figs. This is now almost everywhere accepted as true 
and as being one of the chief causes of the superiority of the Smyrna fig over non- 
caprificated figs. Leclerc was the first one to point out the superiority of caprifi- 
cated figs,in Algiers, but he does not mention the cause (p. 332). 
