334 CALIFORNIA FRUITS : HOW TO GROW THEM 



San Pedro, White; syn. Brebas. Very large, round, flattened at apex; stalk 

 and neck short ; eye open ; skin thick, tender, of a bright yellow color or greenish 

 in the shade, without bloom ; pulp amber. A remarkable and handsome fig. 

 Only the first crop matures without caprification. Suited only for table use. 

 Requires moist, rich soil. 



San Pedro, Black. Very large, elongated ovate, with no stalk, but with well- 

 set neck; skin smooth, violet black with green neck, pulp red, coppery, tinted 

 violet. For table use. The largest fig known. 



Smyrna (Fig of Commerce, Drying Fig of Smyrna, Calimyrna). Of several 

 attempts to secure the true Smyrna fig, or the variety which produces the well- 

 known Smyrna fig of commerce, that made by the San Francisco Bulletin, and 

 managed by G. P. Rixford, has achieved most prominence, and is now generally 

 conceded to have proved successful. Fourteen thousand cuttings were obtained 

 through United States Consul E. J. Smithers, in 1882, and a large part of these 

 were distributed throughout the State. A later direct importation of fig cuttings 

 from Smyrna was made by the Fancher Creek Nursery, of Fresno. These trees 

 have already borne fruit, as has been described in a preceding paragraph on 

 caprification. In the summer of 1890 cuttings imported from Smyrna by the 

 United States Department of Agriculture were sent to several parties in this 

 State. As the fig insect has fully established itself, as described on a previous 

 page, this variety will establish itself as the leading drying fig, here as a Smyrna, 

 and a very important industry will be established upon it. Other figs previously 

 called Smyrna in this State are misnamed. 



The Rixford Fig. There are, however, new varieties of direct Smyrna parent- 

 age attracting attention in this State. The planting of Smyrna fig seed by Mr. 

 E. W. Maslin, at Loomis, in 1886, has yielded several varieties which Mr. W. T. 

 Swindle described in the Pacific Rural Press of February 27, 1909, as of decided 

 promise. These new varieties, which might be called self-sealed figs, show a 

 drop of pellucid gum completely filling the very narrow mouth of the fruit when 

 it matures. As the figs dry and shrivel on the tree and fall to the ground, the 

 drop of gum hardens and hermetically seals the mouth. Such figs do not sour, 

 since the germs causing fermentation are unable to effect an entrance to the 

 pulp within. The skin is pale in color, very thin and tender, often translucent 

 and amber colored in the figs that have cured on the ground. The pulp is light 

 amber colored, full of fertile seeds, sweet and of excellent flavor. The drop of 

 hardened gum that closes the mouth it usually from one-sixteenth to one-eighth 

 inch in diameter, sometimes concealed just within the mouth, but usually partly 

 protruding outside. 



Verdal, Round. Below medium, round pyriform without stalk or neck; skin 

 smooth, waxy, bluish green; eye closed; pulp dark, blood red. A small fig, but 

 valuable for canning and preserves ; better than the Ischias or Celeste. It does 

 well in the Santa Clara Valley, but is inferior in the interior of the State. 



White Endich. A re-named variety. Medium, golden yellow, pulp white 

 tinged with pink; tree prolific and long ripening season. 



Verdal Longue. Medium, oblong, turbinate ; stalk and neck short ; eye closed ; 

 yellow, ribs brownish ; flesh red ; sweet aromatic. 



Zimitza. Large, pyriform, greenish, yellow amber flesh ; good grower and 

 bearer. 



There are many undetermined varieties of the fig grown here 

 and there in the State. Some may be finally identified, others may 

 be new. Some of them yield an excellent dried fruit and should be 

 more carefully experimented with. The outlook for the fig seems to 

 rest upon successful caprification, although recently there has been 

 increased success in profitable drying of other varieties. 



