THE SMYRNA FIG AT HOME AND ABROAD 



15 



at Ayassoulook and ends at Denizli. The general direction of the valley is northeast 

 and southwest, with the fig orchards along the lower foothills and level plains on 

 the north, just above the swampy ground of the river bottom. The Maeander River is 

 a rather sluggish, shallow stream, flowing along the opposite side of the valley. The 

 hills, which rise rather abruptly from its banks, are barren and almost void of 

 vegetation, entirely unlike the opposite side where the olive, grape and fig thrive 



Method followed in planting cuttings to start young trees in the Maeander Valley, Herbeyli District. 



From an original photograph. 



luxuriantly. The river bottom is devoted to the culture of cereals, cotton and licorice. 

 The fig orchards are not over a mile wide at any point along the northern slope. 

 The soils vary from a deep red loam on the higher ground to a rather sandy, gravelly, 

 but very deep soil on the lower table lands. 



Irrigation, except for starting young trees, is never practiced, in fact is not 

 required, the rainfall averaging from twenty to twenty-five inches annually. The 



