1238 



FIG 



FILIPENDULA 



Cultural methods in California. 



The fig tree in California requires much space, hence 

 it is used as an avenue tree or if in orchard form other 

 trees are set between, to be afterward removed. In 

 good soil, fig trees, like walnuts, should finally stand 

 not less than 40 feet apart, and 50 feet is considered to 

 be better. 



Little pruning is required for the fig. Trees grown 

 for table figs are headed low, about 18 inches from the 

 ground, to facilitate picking. Trees grown for drying 

 figs are headed higher so that they can better be kept 

 smooth and clean, as the figs are usually allowed to 

 ripen and fall. Cultivation is necessary until the trees 

 completely shade the ground. 



Figs begin to bear early in California, often the 

 second or third year. Some trees prove barren or very 

 poor bearers and must be replaced by others. The tree 

 appears to be as long-lived as the olive, has very few 

 insect enemies, and is not subject to disease. It is a 

 good ornamental tree. 



The fruit in some districts, in some seasons, ferments 

 on the trees ("fig-sour"). This sometimes seems to 

 come from over-irrigation, sometimes from lack of 

 vitality, and most often occurs in very tender and 

 juicy varieties. 



The very dangerous fig moth (Ephestra cautella) is 

 now widely distributed in America, although not yet 

 in California. During the last few years, many cargoes 

 of imported figs have been seized in New York and 

 destroyed on account of this insect, which fills the fruit 

 with eggs and ultimately with its larva? (Bulletin No. 

 104, 1911, Bureau of Entomology). Asiatic dried figs 

 are not only subject to this pest but contain less sugar 

 (1^4 per cent less) and less proteids (1^ per cent) than 

 do the California dried figs. 



Fig-drying. The fig crop is handled with much care 

 and cleanliness in California, and labor-saving methods 

 are used in all cases. The figs must remain on the trees 

 till fully ripe; then they shrivel and drop off, are picked 

 up, dipped in boiling brine (three ounces salt to one 

 gallon water), placed on trays exposed to the sun and 

 turned once. The later drying is done in the shade. 

 The figs are next placed in the "sweat boxes" and 

 "mixed" so as to equalize the moisture. They aye then 

 washed clean in a weak brine, drained off and taken 

 to the packing-room. Exceeding care, cleanliness and 

 much experience are required to produce high-grade 

 results. 



Fig avenues. There is a growing interest felt in the 

 fig as an avenue tree in California, since it is deciduous 

 and so does not shade the road in winter, and since it 

 thrives without culture or pruning where the moisture 

 is sufficient and the soil deep. 



Culture in other places. 



While California probably offers the best climate on 

 the continent for commercial fig-growing, the industry 

 has a future over much of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, 

 the extreme South, Hawaii, Australia, large portions of 

 South Africa, Mexico and the west coast of South 

 America. 



Fig-culture in the northern and middle parts of the 

 United States is essentially different, of course, from 

 the outdoor and orchard methods. The tree can be 

 grown as a bush and protected each winter by cover- 

 ing the branches with several inches of soil. In the 

 southern middle states, fig bushes are grown by cover- 

 ing in winter with matting and straw. One crop, or at 

 most two, is all that can be expected. See the discus- 

 sions on pages 1234 and 1235. 



The crop. 



Statistics are not well kept at present in the fig 

 industry, but the annual California crop exceeds 4,000 

 tons (dried figs) while the local consumption of fresh 

 figs is large and increasing. The fig pastes, conserves, 



and the like, and the use of figs in wafers and other 

 forms is also general. As Smyrna exports about 30,000 

 tons in good years, there is evidently room for the 

 California industry. The dried Smyrnas of Califor- 

 nia are equal to the best of Asia Minor and contain 

 64 per cent of sugar (Roeding's Calimyrna variety, 

 the Erbeyli variety of its native country). Besides this 

 variety, persons at Fresno are planting on a large scale 

 the Kassaba, the Checker Injir of Scios, the Bardajic 

 and what is called in California the purple Bulletin 

 Smyrna. 



Related species of Ficus. 



The famous and useful "Sycamore fig" of the Orient 

 (Ficus Sycomorus) produces fruit in racemes on the 

 older branches. It is too tender for outdoor culture in 

 America. (See page 1234.) The beautiful peepul tree 

 of India is the sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) of the Brah- 

 mans and Buddhists, and it is now found in many 

 private collections in southern California. Ficus elas- 

 tica, the India rubber tree, is often seen in the warmer 

 parts of California. In 1914 a tree of F. elastica fruited 

 heavily at Niles and the children seemed to like the 

 figs. The true banyan fig has not yet been successfully 

 grown in the state, but ought to be tested. In the 

 American tropics many interesting kinds of Ficus may 

 be expected. CHARLES H. SHINN. 



FIG. Adam's Fig: Musa paradisiaca. Barbary Fig: Opuntia 

 vulgaris. Devil's Fig: Argemone mexicana. Hottentot's Fig: 

 M esembryanthemum edule. Indian Fig: Opuntia vulgaris. Keg Fig: 

 Diospyros Kaki. Pharaoh's Fig: Sycomorus antiquorum. 



FIG-MARIGOLD: M esembryanthemum. 

 FfLAGO: Gifola. 



FILBERT. One of the group of nuts produced by 

 species of Corylus. The nuts of Corylus are variously 

 grouped or classified; those are usually known as 

 filberts that are provided with a tubular husk much 

 longer than the nut itself; as cobs, if the husk is little 

 or not at all longer than the nut; and as hazels if the 

 husk is much shorter than the nut. The filbert nuts 

 are usually oblong in shape; the cobs roundish and 

 angular; and the hazels rather small, roundish and 

 thick-shelled. These are derived from different species 

 and hybrids of Corylus (which see) of the Old World; 

 and these vernacular names do not seem to be very 

 definitely or accurately used. The name filbert is of 

 disputed origin; the idea that it comes from "full- 

 beard," in allusion to the long husk, is undoubtedly 

 erroneous. 



Filberts are grown in many parts of Europe, and they 

 are exported to America in large quantities. Many 

 attempts have been made to grow them in this coun- 

 try but without success owing, apparently, to lack 

 of hardiness, to fungous disease, and to the want of 

 varieties bred for American conditions. Probably 

 some of the failure is due to lack of discrimination 

 in soils and to unskilled methods of growing. See 

 Hazel-nut. L. jj, g t 



FILIPENDULA (Latin filum, thread, pendulus, 

 hanging; alluding to the numerous small tubers 

 hanging together by thread-like roots). Syn., Ulma- 

 ria. Rosacese. MEADOW-SWEET. Hardy herbs grown 

 for their showy panicles of white, pink or purple 

 flowers. 



Perennials with fibrous or tuberous rootstock: Ivs. 

 stipulate, interruptedly odd-pinnate, the terminal 1ft. 

 often much larger and palmately lobed: fls. in cymose 

 corymbs; calyx-lobes and petals usually 5; stamens 

 20-40, with the filaments narrowed toward the base; 

 carpels distinct, 5-15, 1-seeded, indehiscent. Nine 

 species in N. Asia and Himalayas, N. Amer. and Eu. 

 Filipendula has usually been united with Spiraea, but 



