BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 943 



of figs are at present confined to the Smyrna district, 

 being tliere the fig or the only fig cultivated for commer- 

 cial purposes. In the other Mediterranean districts this 

 t3'^pe of figs is entirely unknown. Introduced to Califor- 

 nia it never produced fruit until pollinated. 



Third Tyfe. — This is the San Pedro type, with different 

 flowers in the dififerent crops. The first crop or fiori 

 contains only mule flowers. This crop becomes conse- 

 quently pomologically ripe without pollination or caprifi- 

 cation, but even if pollinated it will never become botan- 

 ically ripe or produce seeds, as the flowers are all with 

 abortive embryos or ovaries. 



The second crop contains only fully developed female 

 flowers which require pollination in order to set fruit or 

 become botanically mature, the receptacle never becom- 

 ing horticulturally mature as long as the flowers are not 

 pollinated. 



To this class belongs a limited number of figs, which 

 are especially valuable on account of their brebas or first 

 crop. Among varieties belonging to this crop are the 

 San Pedro (yellow), the Gentile, the Bitontoni, the Por- 

 tuguese, and a few others. 



Foitrth Type. — To this class belong very few edible 

 figs which are characterized by having more or less per- 

 fectly developed mede flowers in a zone around the eye. 

 The other flowers are principally mule flowers. This 

 class becomes pomologically mature as well as botanically 

 mature, the latter referring to the male flowers. If the gall 

 flowers and female fl.owers are developed properly is not 

 known. To this crop belongs the Croisic fig, the Corde- 

 lia fig, and a few others. 



The origin of these various types I derive from the va- 

 rious crops of the caprifig, through artificial or horticult- 

 ural selection. The first type may either have. descended 



