THE FIG TREE J 187 



the orifice or on the side of the young fig, will cause 

 it to set almost as well as if caprificated. 



Certain varieties of figs, such as the St. John's, 

 the long violet, and the long white, habitually produce 

 a crop of early or precocious figs, which make their 

 appearance in March or April, at the same time as 

 the foliage, and mature in June, and it is noteworthy 

 that the early St. John's figs do not require caprification 

 and there are no caprifigs available at that time 

 but the main crop of the same tree which buds out 

 on the young wood toward the close of May or in 

 June, will not set without caprification. On the other 

 hand the main crop of the other two varieties mentioned 

 is caprificated, but the early crop is not, and accordingly 

 many or most of the early figs of these varieties, 

 which are of exquisite quality, drop off when half 

 grown. This does not happen when there is a caprifig 

 tree close by, having a few figs of the third or fourth 

 crop (ciarru or barru], from which the Blastophaga 

 proceeds to visit the caprifigs of the first crop (duccar) 

 just out, as well as the early figs of those two edible 

 varieties. 



1'he following are the best known sorts of fig trees 

 grown in these Islands. 



i. The CAPRIFIG (Ficus Carica Caprificus Lin.) 

 A considerable proportion of seedlings, especially those 

 originating from the white or light-coloured edible 

 varieties produce uneatable fruits, and when they produce 

 several crops, they arc called caprifigs, and their fruit 

 may be used as such. However, the fruit of the true 

 caprifigs is always more or less dry, becoming soft 

 at maturity but never fleshy or luscious as the edible 

 figs. A "dry" caprifig is essential for the pioper develop- 

 ment of the Blastophaga, and therefore good sorts of 

 caprifigs are always propagated by cuttings or layers, 

 or budded on seedlings. The two best known caprifigs 



