BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 971 



phagas from. other caprifig trees. The growing of caprifig 

 trees in among the edible figs would, therefore, not only 

 be useless, but would be entirely improper. This leads us 

 to the necessity of having separate plantations for the 

 caprilig. 



Separate Plantations of Caprifigs. — In most countries 

 where caprification is practiced it is a general saying that 

 it is necessary to go to the hills for the caprifigs (79). It 

 is not only more economical, as has just been pointed out^ 

 to grow the caprifigs separately, but it is in many instances 

 necessary. The soil and moisture in the orchard is not 

 always suitable to the caprifig. It must be remembered 

 that the caprifig is 3^et in its comparatively wild state, 

 while the edible fig is a horticultural product or creation 

 which only can be expected to attain its proper qualities 

 under the most favorable conditions. Practically this is 

 true. It frequently happens that when the edible figs are 

 receptive, or their female flowers ready for pollination 

 through caprification, that at this very time the caprifigs 

 growing in the vicinity of the edible figs are not properly 

 developed, while other caprifigs grown in different soil 

 and at a different elevation are just of the proper size and 

 condition to furnish both Blastophagas and pollen. But 

 another even more serious objection to having a few cap- 

 rifigs growing in rich soil is that their crops are not al- 

 ways following each other in immediate succession. The 

 Blastophaga, in order to properly propagate her brood, 

 requires 3^oung caprifigs ready to receive her eggs as soon 

 as she hatches out. Frequently the tree from which she 

 hatches does not possess these figs, while other caprifig 

 trees do. It is therefore necessary, in order to procure a 

 constant supply of Blastophagas, to have a large number 

 of caprifig trees growing together. In a grove of such 

 trees there will always be some that bear figs of proper 



