30 THE KADOTA FIG 



The difficulty of caprifying the Smyrna, when thus planted, and the 

 trouble and expense of gathering the Kadota when planted in border form, 

 leave us no other choice of varieties that will even remotely produce financial 

 returns equal to those obtained in the use of the Mission. 



On every hand we see grand old Mission trees producing great crops 

 year after year, no cultivation or care ever given, little or no irrigation prac- 

 ticed, yet with every neglect they never fail in leaf or crop. 



Smyrna 



Next in order in the drying fig from point of income we must place the 

 Smyrna of the Lob-Injir variety. Of the white dry figs nothing ever 

 has been or probably ever will be produced equal to a perfect Smyrna fig. 

 There is not now planted in California sufficient acreage of Smyrnas to proper- 

 ly supply the markets of the very near future. The beauty of this fig in its 

 various forms of pack; its flavor and general excellence create for it a 

 permanent place in the favor of all consumers the world over. 



'Tis hard to conceive an overproduction of this fruit. To the intending 

 planter, however, who is not definitely wedded already to this fig of commerce, 

 I would suggest that he duly consider his soil, climatic conditions, including 

 regular or sporadic breezes in the pollenizing seasons, and supplies of capri figs 

 of his own or from other orchards. 



Intelligent and careful consideration of soil for successful propagation of 

 the Smyrna fig of a quality to meet importation competition will probably re- 

 veal to the investigator that much of the splitting and subsequent losses of this 

 fig is due largely to a lack of moisture in the soil at a critical period in its 

 growth; soils whose composition are such as to permit of the evaporation 

 of the last irrigation, or moisture supply from other sources permit (when 

 unusual periods of heat occur) the evaporation of moisture exactly when most 

 needed. 



The leaves of the tree draw heavily upon the stored moisture in the soil 

 and it is lost in various ways before the growing and swelling fruit can secure 

 sufficient to meet its requirements. Hence a stagnation in growth temporarily 

 occurs, the skin of the fruit toughens or hardens, and upon cool weather return- 

 ing, or an additional supply of moisture otherwise occurs, a rush of sap to 

 the fruit results and the skin of the fruit cannot expand and splitting 

 follows, exactly in proportion to the duration of the privation the fruit pre- 

 viously sustained. A hot summer following a dry winter gives us our worst 

 losses in Smyrnas from splitting, and sudden coolness following intense heat 

 produces the same result. 



It is my opinion that the souring of the Smyrna fig may be traceable to 

 the same conditions as the splitting. 



It is my belief based on observation only, that there is a critical period 

 in the development of this fig, when, if a sudden flow of sap be diverted from 

 the tree and leaf "to the fruit," by coolness of the days and nights, and the 

 evaporation just preceding the coolness is stopped, the excess sap permit- 

 ted to go to the fruit cannot in so short a time become converted into sugar, and 

 while that slow process is taking place fermentation sets in and vinegar forms 

 and we have our sours. 



