OcTOBER 20, 1899. ] 
pass the winter where the mamme or winter 
caprifigs are liable to freeze. 
Caprification is sometimes practiced on 
the caprifig itself in spring when the tree 
happens to bear no winter generation fruits. 
In such cases mamme from other trees are 
suspended in the branches, and the insects 
coming from them enter and lay eggs in the 
young spring generation caprifigs (projicht). 
Except for such caprification the profichi 
on such trees would not contain fig insects, 
and would be valueless for caprifying the 
edible fig in summer. 
CAPRIFICATION IN AMERICA. 
In 1880 and 1882, Mr. J. P. Rixford, of 
the San Francisco Bulletin, imported into 
California, by the aid of Consul E. F. 
Smithers, some fourteen thousand cuttings 
of the best sorts of Smyrna fig trees, it hav- 
ing been found impossible to prepare from 
any of the figs then cultivated in California 
a dried article able to compare with the 
best Smyrna product. These Bulletin cut- 
tings were widely distributed, and hopes 
ran high until it was found that the trees 
refused to hold their fruit. The failure was 
absolute—not a single fruit has ever ripened 
during these nineteen years of culture, ex- 
cept some few hundred, pollinated by hand, 
as will be explained below. Believing that 
the Smyrniots, fearful of competition, had 
not sent the right sorts, many growers be- 
came disgusted and dug up their trees. 
In 1890, Mr. George C. Roeding, of 
Fresno, produced the first Smyrna figs 
ever ripened in California, by artificially 
transferring the pollen from the caprifigs to 
the young Smyrna figs. In 1891, Dr. Eisen 
repeated this experiment at Niles. It was 
necessary to shake the pollen out of the 
caprifigs and introduce it with a quill into 
the young fig. From this time it became 
evident that it would be necessary to im- 
port the Blastophaga, since the artificial fer- 
tilizing of the figs was too slow and too 
SCIENCE. 
573 
expensive an operation to be applied in 
practice in the culture of Smyrna figs. 
In 1890 also, the Division of Pomology of 
the Department of Agriculture had imported 
and distributed cuttings of these male or 
caprifig trees, together with the insects, but 
the latter were, of course, unable to survive 
in the absence of trees producing the neces- 
sary succession of caprifigs. Mr. James 
Shinn, of Niles, secured the insect in the 
summer of 1891,and Mr. Anthony C. Deno- 
tovitch in 1895, but in both cases with no 
result. Dr. Riley, then Entomologist of the 
Department, had devoted much thought to 
the matter, and in 1891 and 1895 he pub- 
lished papers calling attention to the im- 
portance of introducing the insect. 
Having become interested in the subject 
of caprification through acquaintance with 
Dr. Paul Meyer while studying at the 
Naples Zoological Station in 1896, and 
having had placed at my disposal, through 
the liberality of Director Dohrn, the un- 
equaled facilities of that institution, I en- 
tered upon asecond and more detailed study 
in 1898. In this I was most kindly assisted 
by material and suggestions from Dr. Meyer 
and Count Sohms- Laubach. While engaged 
in this investigation, the results of which 
are soon to be published, a test was made, 
on private responsibility, of a method of 
mailing the winter caprifigs wrapped in tin- 
foil after the cut end had been sealed. This 
simple expedient proved effective, and the 
contained insects reached California in good 
condition. Meanwhile Dr. L. O. Howard, 
Entomologist of the Department of Agri- 
culture, had determined to attempt the in- 
troduction of the Blastophaga and was in 
California in the interest of such an under- 
taking. The shipment accordingly received 
his personal attention. Although the insects 
failed toestablish themselves, the experiment 
showed the advantage of sending the small, 
firm, winter caprifigs rather than the larger 
and softer spring generation, which had been 
