920 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



fig, judging from the photograph, is of medium to large 

 size and edible. Mr. Lelong describes the pollen as very 

 abundant and that the fig possessed numerous fertile seeds 

 (38), which he says must have been produced by the 

 pollen of the male flowers above. 



The Cordelia Fig. — The only certain instance of male 

 flowers having been found in an edible fig in California 

 is the one I am about to mention below. 



In July, 1893, I found a box of figs in the market of 

 San Francisco, marked as having come from Cordelia in 

 Solano County, containing very large yellow figs, a size 

 larger than our largest Adriatic. Upon opening these 

 figs I found every one with a fully developed zone of 

 male flowers, fully ripe and with an abundant, perfectly 

 developed pollen. In other respects the figs resembled 

 very much the Italian Gentile, which is now also growing 

 in California in various localities. These figs belonged 

 to a distinct variety and were propagated as table figs, 

 though the dry zone of male flowers greatly detracted 

 from the quality of the fig. The fig was juic}^ and very 

 sweet. It is not impossible that this fig is identical with 

 the Croisic fig described by Solms-Loubach, and that it 

 has been brought here by setlers from Croisic in France. 



Finally, it may be stated that both myself and Mr. E. 

 W. Maslin, of California, have raised seedlings of Smyrna 

 figs. Some of those raised by the latter came io partial 

 maturity at least, and contained male flowers in greater 

 or lesser abundance. Such figs, however, must be con- 

 sidered as improved caprifigs — improved by being raised 

 from seed of Smyrna figs. The Cordelia and Croisic figs 

 are undoubtedl}^ descendants from the male caprifig, 

 having retained the male flowers, while they also have 

 developed sweetness and juiciness to a greater degree 

 than their wild parents. It is hardly to be expected that 



