THE SMYRNA FIG AT HOME AND ABROAD 



17 



the unintelligible accounts given by men, who have been the possessors of fig 

 orchards all their lives. All of the people in the fig district and in Smyrna proper 

 are fully aware that without the Capri fig and the fig wasp (Blastophaga grossorum) 

 no Smyrna Figs can be produced, but as to the life history of the insect and as to 

 the manner in which it propagates its species, they know as little at the present 

 time as did their forefathers of years ago. In fact, the American .consul in Smyrna 

 was the only person who was aware of the object of my visit to Smyrna. To others 

 inquiring the nature of my business, I stated 1 was making a trip in the interests of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture to investigate fruit culture and the 



Type of Trunk of a Smyrna Fig tree, Herbeyli District. 

 Reduced from an original photograph. 



methods followed in general in Asia Minor and Europe. Having represented to my 

 friends that I regarded the necessity of an insect to produce figs a foolish custom, 

 followed only in my opinion because their forefathers had done the same thing 

 before them, they were extremely anxious to convince me that my views were 

 incorrect, and took particular pains to give all the information they could. So 

 ridiculous were their statements, I would, had I not had a previous knowledge of the 

 subject, been more mystified than ever by 'What they told me. 



The overwintering crop, known by us as mamme, is said to appear in February, 

 and is called boghadhes. This is followed by the June or male crop, called ashmadhes. 

 When this drops off, no further insects are to be seen, but in the following year, the 

 flowers in the young figs appearing in February, are said to breed a new generation 

 of insects. The number of young figs appearing at that time indicates whether the 

 male crop will be heavy or not. All this is, of course, incorrect, but it indicates how 

 little knowledge these people have of the entire subject. Let us now go into the 

 whole subject more minutely, and get in close touch with the industry where it is 

 native and where the world's supply of Smyrna Figs was produced until California 

 horticulturists entered the lists and added a new industry to our rural economy and 

 development. 



