THE KADOTA FIG 31 



I have no way of proving my assertions in this hiatter and my opinions 

 may find opposition in the investigations of others. However, I have observed 

 that water slightly sweetened will sour quickly and water heavily impregnated 

 with sugar is slow to sour, and that figs that form and ripen before a hot spell 

 seldom sour and split, and that immediately upon the return of cool weather 

 following the hot spell, splitting and souring immediately occur. 



Soil very retentive of moisture regardless of weather conditions in my 

 opinion will produce figSvless likely to sour and split. Hence soil composition 

 enters into the game very prominently. 



A Smyrna fig grower, having secured capri figs ready to liberate wasps 

 in plenty, with necessary pollen, and finds his Smyrna figs are also in a re- 

 ceptive condition, dreads to see a wind storm, regular or sporadic, come 

 along, as his little benefactors are blown, scattered and lost, and eventually 

 he may not fertilize over 80 per cent of the figs set upon his trees. 



Smyrna figs on borders are harder to pollenize than a block of trees set 

 in rectangular form, as above named conditions make it difficult to retain the 

 wasps. In my opinion more cash returns will always be obtained from border 

 planting if the Mission fig be planted instead of the Smyrna. 



Adriatic 



Planting of Adriatics in the past has been a profitable procedure, but 

 no consideration was given the soil for this variety, consequently we find it 

 growing everywhere, and in the majority of cases the fruit sours, splits, molds, 

 and has brought the name of California dry figs into disrepute in Eastern 

 markets where it is sold in competition with the imported Smyrna. 



The Pure Food Law has been invoked in the season past and a serious 

 loss to growers was averted only by the leniency with which the law was 

 applied. In the seasons to come no such leniency may be expected and the 

 financial returns to growers of Adriatics will be seriously affected. 



Intending planters of this variety should determine in advance that they 

 have the soil wherein this fig will mature and be a perfect fruit; so few and 

 far between are these areas that we may almost class the Adriatic as a forbid- 

 den variety. 



Land is too valuable and time too precious and other varieties too plentiiul 

 to take a chance in planting a variety which offers so little for the future. 

 Aside from the soil, a cool damp night, a fog or rain plays the mischief with a 

 crop of Adriatics. The salvation of the older Adriatic orchards will probably 

 be found in caprifying the fruit, gathering it fresh as is done with Mission and 

 Kadotas, and employing dehydration methods to produce a better dried fig. A 

 very creditable article may thus be obtained and confiscation under the Pure 

 Food Law be averted. 



The older methods employed in the past must surely be abandoned. 

 Large quantities of Adriatics will in the future be consumed in canning and 

 preserving plants and factories, and pruning to permit fresh picking must be 

 practiced. 



