Masterpieces of Science 



amounted to anything. The Smyrna fig has 

 controlled the dried-fig markets of the world, 

 but in California the Smyrna fig has never held 

 its fruit, the young figs dropping from the trees 

 without ripening. It was found that in Mediter- 

 ranean regions a little insect, known as the 

 Blastophaga, fertilizes the flowers of the Smyrna 

 fig with pollen from the wild fig which it in- 

 habits. The United States Department of 

 Agriculture in the spring of 1899 imported 

 successfully some of these insects through one 

 of its travelling agents, Mr. W. T. Swingle, and 

 the insect was successfully established at 

 Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley. A far- 

 sighted fruit-grower, Mr. George C. Roeding, 

 of Fresno, had planted some years previously 

 an orchard of 5,000 Smyrna fig trees and wild 

 fig trees, and his place was the one chosen for 

 the successful experiment. The little insect 

 multiplied with astonishing rapidity, was carried 

 successfully through the winter of 1899- 1900, 

 and in the summer of 1900 was present in such 

 great numbers that it fertilized thousands of 

 figs, and fifteen tons of them ripened. When 

 these figs were dried and packed it was discovered 

 that they were superior to the best imported figs. 

 They contained more sugar and were of a finer 

 flavor than those brought from Smyrna and 

 Algeria. The Blastophaga has come to stay, 

 and the prospects for a new and important 

 industry are assured. 



With all these experiments the criticism is 

 136 



