118 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, BBTORE, AND CURING. 
it practiced anywhere in southern France and the Riviera. Solms- 
Laubach declares two causes for this to be possible. Either in ancient 
times caprification was practiced even there, and later on abandoned, 
or it was never introduced, fig culture having been only lately brought 
to these regions, and at a time when caprification was no longer nec- 
essary, varieties in the meantime having appeared which would ripen 
their receptacles without it. But as from the descriptions of Pliny 
and Cato it becomes evident that caprification was not known in Italy 
in their time, it is almost certain that in countries where caprifica- 
tion is not now practiced it has never been introduced. This is the 
ease in all fig districts of America, as neither in the Southern States, 
in California, nor in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, or Chile, had eaprifi- 
cation ever been even advocated until within the last ten years, or 
after the late introduction of the real Smyrna figs from Smyrna. 
This has also been the case in Australia and New Zealand. It is 
probable that to countries within easy reach of Syria the first varie- 
ties introduced were those requiring caprification; later only the self- 
ripening kinds followed, or were originated on the spot. The kinds 
which require caprification are much more exacting of climate, soils, 
and conditions generally than the self-ripening kinds, as we know 
that Smyrna figs, if transplanted to less favored localities, lose their 
superior qualities, even if caprified. As the self-ripening kinds 
became more common and more widely distributed the Smyrna varie- 
ties were allowed to gradually die out, but,the caprification had taken 
such hold and had become so deeply rooted that it continued to be 
practiced on varieties which did not require it. 
The circumstance, again, that caprification was not introduced into 
the more northern provinces, such as north Italy, south France, 
and north of Spain, must be sought in the unsuitability of those 
places for those varieties which required caprification. It is more 
than probable that in the above countries fig culture never assumed 
any degree of development until the advent of figs which did not 
require caprification in order to bear. The variety of caprifig which 
carries its mamme over winter is more susceptible to frost than other 
figs. At least it is impossible for the fig wasps to survive in countries 
where the caprifig crops are interrupted by heavy winter or spring 
frosts. This would also make eaprification impossible, unless the 
caprifigs were yearly imported from more favored districts—a pro- 
ceeding that would not prove practical or remunerative. 
CAN OTHER INSECTS BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE BLASTOPHAGA? 
It is well known that figs are visited by numerous insects other than 
the regular Blastophaga, and the question arises to what degree 
could they be depended upon to carry the pollen from the caprifig to 
the edible fig, or could they do so at all. Some entomologists not 
acquainted with the practical side of the question have claimed that 
