FIGS GROWN IN CALIFORNIA 341 



The gophers have a pronounced appetite for fig roots, and their 

 presence should be carefully watched for. Swine have a liking for 

 fig bark. Figs make good food for hogs, and plantations have been 

 made with this in view, but if the hogs are to be the harvesters, it 

 will be well to protect the stems of the trees from them. 



VARIETIES OF THE FIG 



Except in small production of fresh figs for local sale California 

 fig planting in 1921 proceeds almost exclusively upon the White 

 Adriatic, Calimyrna, Black Mission, and Kadota, and there is no 

 agreement among planters as to which will prove most permanently 

 profitable considering cost of production of each. It is hardly 

 likely that the present phase of popularity of varieties will be en- 

 during. It seems reasonable to believe that to command world 

 trade, California must grow the type of cured fig which the world 

 is accustomed to as the fig of commerce, which Smyrna production 

 established in world esteem. , 



The fig has a very confused nomenclature in California. Dr. 

 Eisen published a catalogue of varieties introduced into California, 

 with descriptions of each in Bulletin 9 of the Division of Pomology 

 of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The following enumeration 

 is restricted to varieties more or less common : 



White Adriatic.' Size, medium, roundish; neck medium; stalk short; 

 ribs obscure; eye open, with red iris; skin very thin, greenish in the shade, 

 yellowish in the sun; pulp bright strawberry red or white, with violet 

 streaks in the meat; varies in quality according to location. Very produc- 

 tive and often very profitable as a dried product. Apt to sour if weather is 

 dark or showery during ripening, or if grown on water-logged soils. 



Agen. Medium size, roundish; skin bright green, cracking longi- 

 tudinally when ripe, showing white bands; flesh deep red, very rich; a 

 good bearer, but very late, requiring a long hot season. 



Bardajic." "Very large, obovate, pyriform, long neck and stalk, skin 

 very thin, grayish green; pulp rich crimson, fine table fig and largest of 

 Smyrna class." Roeding. 



Black Bulletin Smyrna. Large, obtuse, pyriform, short neck, long stalk, 

 light purple, flesh pink, luscious. 



Bourjassotte, White; syn. Panachee. Medium, round and somewhat 

 flattened, eye large, sunk; skin waxy, green; pulp bright red. A very fine 

 fig. Tree very large. 



Brown Turkey .^Large, turbinate, pyriform, with hardly distinct neck; 

 stalk short; apex flattened; ribs few; slightly elevated; eye medium, slightly 

 open, scales large; skin smooth, greenish to violet-brown in sun, with 

 darker ribs; pulp dark rosy red, quality good, and tree a good bearer. 

 Brunswick is frequently confounded with this fig. A distinct variety is 

 grown in Vacaville as Brown Turkey, which is named by Dr. Eisen "War- 

 ren." 



Brunswick. Very large, pyriform, with swollen cheeks, one of which is 

 larger than the other; apex very obtuse; neck and stalk very short; ribs 

 distinct; but not much elevated; eye medium, open; skin pale amber, with 

 violet tint; pulp amber. An early, large fig, but lacking flavor. Very com- 

 mon; requires ri^ch, moist soil. 



Celeste, Bluei syn. Violette. Small, oviate, turbinate; ribs few, but dis- 

 tinct, especially near apex; eye raised, rough; color dark violet amber, 



