BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 983 



arises to what degree could they be depended upon to 

 carry the pollen from the caprifig to the edible fig, or 

 could they do so at all. Some entomogists not acquainted 

 with the practical side of the question have claimed that 

 the Blastophaga was not required, but that any insects 

 would do the work. In order to carry the pollen from 

 one fig to another it is by no means necessary that the in- 

 sect should breed. in the fig. All it has to do is to crawl 

 in to the caprifig at the -pi'oper time, and' then to crawl 

 out and in into the edible fig, and the pollination is accom- 

 plished. But in order that any practical result to the 

 crop at large may come from this visit, several circum- 

 stances are imperatively necessary and must coincide. 

 The insects must make these visits at the proper time. 

 They must be of proper size to be able to enter the closed 

 eye of the fig. The insects must be present in suffi- 

 ciently large number to pollinate the fig crop, not single 

 figs. As to the first point it will be seen that no other 

 insect can be found, which will have any business in the 

 caprifig at the time when required, and even if the pollen 

 of the caprifig would serve as its food, it would have no 

 cause to afterwards visit the edible fig, which at the 

 period when such visit is required does not produce any 

 food, it being green and hard, with no trace of sugar. 

 Insects only visit flowers in search of food or to lay their 

 eggs. No other insect than the Blastophaga has been 

 found to do the latter properly and at the time when re- 

 quired. The second point is readily understood. The 

 eye of the edible fig is closed, and only an insect with a 

 peculiarly developed instict would know how to push its 

 way between the closed scales. At this stage of the de- 

 velopment of the fig no insects have been found which 

 visit the figs, except the Blastophagae and some parasitical 

 wasps which prey on her brood, and which would not 



