154 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
seillaise, and a host of others will thrive with 25 to 30 feet between 
the trees, while others like the Mission, the Adriatic, and the Smyrnas 
require 50 or 60 feet, the latter being the distance now generally 
adopted in Smyrna. Where smaller crops are grown between the 
trees, the larger distance may be given at once, as it will allow ample 
room for intermediate plantations for years. But where no such 
crops are contemplated the trees may be set at first 25 feet each way, 
with the intention to ultimately remove every other tree in each alter- 
nate row, while every other row must be removed entirely. But this 
leads of necessity to great waste of trees, as two-thirds of them will 
have to be removed in order that the remainder may be 50 feet apart. 
In selecting the distance we must be guided by the variety, not alone 
in respect to growth and size, but perhaps principally by the quality 
of the fruit. It frequently occurs that fig trees while comparatively 
young give most excellent and sweet fruit, while a few years later the 
fruit sours and spoils as soon as fairly ripe. This toa great extent is 
caused by the crowding of the trees, by too much moisture, by want 
of air and sunshine and room to breathe. Different varieties act 
very differently in this respect. Thus our Black Mission fig will 
stand crowding quite well without souring its fruit, while the figs of 
the Adriatic will inevitably spoil as soon as the trees begin to shade - 
one another sufficiently to keep out the wind and the sun. Thus the 
Adriatic figs and similar varieties must have plenty of sun and air, 
sunshine and air being especially necessary to the Adriatic figs. 
When exposed to constant breezes they can stand some shade without 
injury. In close plantings with a view to the ultimate removal of the 
superfluous trees, it must be remembered that by the time the major- 
ity has been removed the remaining trees will not have attained the 
size they would if given the proper distance at first. In places, there- 
fore, where intermediate crops will prove profitable it will be prefera- 
ble to give the trees the benefit of the greater distance at the first 
planting. Thus the largest-growing varieties should be given 50 to 60 
feet, smaller or medium size 40 feet, and the smallest varieties 25 feet 
or even less, the Brunswick and Brown Turkey, for instance, being 
varieties which would thrive as long as they last with a distance of 
20 feet. 
The above refers only to fig plantations in districts where the trees 
attain their fullest development, such as in California, Arizona, in 
some of the Southern States, and in northern Mexico, ete. For loeali- 
ties where the fig tree can be raised only under difficulties no general 
rule can be given. For further information reference must be had 
to the respective places in this treatise where the various fig districts 
are discussed. The relative growth of the different varieties of figs 
is mentioned as far as known in the general catalogue of figs, and by 
consulting it some ideas can be formed of the distances to be given in 
the orchard. 
