ix STOEY OF THE SMYKNA FIG 113 



over the branches of the trees which bore edible 

 figs. 



The work was not all very simple, for, as it was 

 new to every one, there was no experience to act as 

 guide. In the first place the caprifigs had to 

 be sorted carefully, to make sure that they did 

 contain wasps. Then the stringing was not easy. 

 Strong needles were used, but it was found that a 

 milky juice came out of the caprifigs, which soon 

 clogged the needle and soiled the fingers. This 

 juice also affected the fingers of the workmen, so 

 that they became sore and burning, and this was 

 made worse by the constant washing that was 

 necessary. 



But, difficult or easy, the work was done ; and 

 up and down the orchard of edible figs could be 

 seen the strung caprifigs hanging from the trees. 

 From the caprifigs the wasps soon emerged, and, 

 seeking the edible figs among which they found 

 themselves, they fertilised these, before coming out 

 again to seek for caprifigs. 



The experiment proved a huge success. From 

 one cause and another the thousand winter caprifigs 

 with which it began were reduced by the spring to 

 about four hundred and twenty, but from these 

 enough wasps emerged to produce a great many 

 wasp-containing spring figs, and the result of the 

 fertilisation was about twelve to fifteen tons of good 



I 



