982 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



troduction of the real Smyrna figs from Smyrna. This 

 has also been the case in Australia and New Zealand. It 

 is probable that to countries, within easy reach of Syria, 

 the first varieties introduced were those requiring caprifica- 

 tion; later only the self-ripening kinds followed, or were 

 originated on the spot. The kinds which require caprifica- 

 tion are much more exacting of climate, soils and condi- 

 tions generally than the self-ripening kinds, as we know 

 that Smyrna figs if transplanted to less favored localities 

 loose their superior qualities, even if caprified. As the 

 self-ripening kinds became more common and distributed 

 the Smyrna varieties were allowed to gradually die out, 

 but the caprification had taken such hold and had become 

 so deeply rooted, that it continued to be practiced on 

 varieties which did not require it. 



The circumstance again that caprification was not in- 

 troduced in the more northern provinces, such as north 

 Italy, south France, and north of Spain, must be sought 

 in the unsuitability of those places for those varieties 

 which required caprification. It is more than probable, 

 that in the above countries fig culture never assumed any 

 degree of development until the advent of figs which did 

 not require caprification in order to bear. The variety 

 of caprifig which carries its mamme over winter is more 

 susceptible to frost than other figs. At least it will be im- 

 possible for the fig wasps to survive in countries where 

 the caprifig crops are interrupted by heavy winter or 

 spring frosts. This would also make caprification im- 

 possible, except the caprifigs were yearly imported from 

 more favored districts, a proceeding that would not prove 

 practical and remunerative (88). 



Can other Insects be Substituted fo)' the Blastophaga. — 

 It is well known that figs are visited by numerous insects 

 other than the regular Blastophaga, and the question 



