SMYRNA FIG CULTURE. 



29 



Perhaps among these the Stanford variety (fig. 11), on account of its 

 earliness and nonsplitting character when ripening, is one of the most 

 promising. 



Almost any grower of Lob Ingir figs in California can supply cuttings 

 at a nominal rate when pruning his trees. This enables a fig orchard 

 to be started at a very small cost; though, if preferred, trees can now 

 be obtained from most nurserymen. 



One of the indispensable requirements of successful Smyrna fig 

 growing is a carefully selected assortment of capri trees. Since the 

 undertaking is absolutely dependent on the Blastophaga, it is evident 

 that varieties must be selected that experience has shown are capable 



Fig. 12.— The original Milco capriflg tree, Niles, Cal. 



of sustaining all three caprifig crops and all three generations of the 

 fertilizing insects. 



The first consideration is to secure capri varieties which never fail 

 to carry a good winter (mam me) crop in spite of frosts and adverse 

 conditions. This insures insects for an abundant spring (profichi) 

 crop and must be followed by a good summer (mammoni) crop. As 

 an abundant supply of good caprifigs at the proper season is the 

 ultimate object of the capri plantation, four or five of the best kinds 

 should be planted at the rate of two good trees to each acre of 

 Smyrnas. In this list the grower can not be too earnestly urged to 

 include the Milco caprifig, which has proved itself to be one of the 

 best to carry all the crops of the caprifig to perfection (fig. 12). 



