898 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



found hand in hand with scientific studies. The practical 

 cultivator who knows but little of scientific phraseology, 

 would not understand the terms unavoidably used below, 

 except they were properly explained. Similarly, the 

 scientific investigator, whose interest in this subject 

 lies principally in the process of caprification and in its 

 supposed value or uselessness, would not properly under- 

 stand the practical details connected with the horticultural 

 crops of the figs, except that they be explained in a 

 way that may seem too elementary to the horticultural 

 student or practical botanist. 



My studies and experiments concern principally the 

 following varieties of figs: 



C arpr ijig ( Ficiis caricasilvestris). — This is the wild fig, in 

 which the Blastophaga breeds and goes through its various 

 transformation. This fig tree species contains three crops 

 of figs, of which only the male flowers attain maturity 

 without caprification. The female flowers require polli- 

 nation in order to produce seed. 



Smyrna Fig (Ficus ca7'ica sniirniaca . — The fig trees of 

 this class possess no male flowers, no mule flowers, no gall 

 flowers, only female flowers. The latter require always 

 pollination or caprification, in order to come to any kind 

 of maturity. Only cultivated varieties. 



Common Fig (Fictcs carica hortensis). — The common 

 fig of our orchards. This fig tree contains no male flowers 

 in any crop. The figs require no caprification or pollina- 

 tion in order to mature fruit, and it is yet undecided to 

 what extent this class can be benefited by these processes. 

 Only cultivated varieties. 



San Pedro Fig (Ficns carica intermedia). — This class 

 contain no male flowers. The first crop contains mule 

 flowers, is not susceptible of caprification and not bene- 

 fited by it. The second crop of this class requires capri- 



