SMYRNA FIG CULTURE. 39 



Ficus pseudocarica. — Introduced into California by Dr. Franceschi, of Santa Bar- 

 bara. Thrifty tree, spreading habit, young wood pink, covered with short dense 

 tomentum; leaves medium sized, with three and five lobes, sinuses broad and shal- 

 low, one-quarter to one-third the depth of blade, lobes acute pointed, glossy green 

 above, lighter below; petioles and veins pinkish, covered with soft tomentum ; peti- 

 oles half the length of the blade; stipules greenish pink. Figs of the mamme crop 

 three-eighths to one-half an inch in diameter, long, slim neck, stem very long, greenish 

 red; profichi figs small, one-half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, coppery red, 

 long stem and neck, ribs prominent, color reddish toward sun; eye small, raised above 

 surface, scales red. This caprifig, a native of northeastern Africa, is peculiar in that 

 figs of the mamme crop always contain stamens and can be used to caprify first-crop 

 Smyrnas, a fact noted first by Walter T. Swingle, of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. 



Bleasdale. — Large spreading tree, dense top, clean trunk about 1^ feet in diameter; 

 leaves dark glossy green, rough, mostly three, a few five lobed, many entire, large, up 

 to 8 by 8 inches, lobes obtuse, sinuses broad and shallow, half the depth of the blade, 

 edges finely to coarsely serrate or wavy; carries a good mamme crop from three-fourths 

 of an inch to 1J inches in diameter; petioles medium to long, up to one-half to two- 

 thirds the length of the blade, petioles and veins greenish white and slightly tomentose. 

 Figs of the profichi crop green and firm when the insects issue; rather late; abundant 

 staminate cluster and large gall zone. One of the most valuable seedling capri trees 

 of the Maslin orchard, never failing to carry a good mamme crop through the winter, 

 with a very large profichi crop in the spring. Named for the late Dr. John Bleasdale, 

 a prolific writer on the fig. 



Roeding No. 1. — A thrifty tree of low, spreading habit, long- jointed wood, leaves 

 dark green without gloss, lighter shade below, three and five lobed, some entire, sin- 

 uses broad, shallow, edges coarsely serrate or wavy, petioles one-third to one-half the 

 length of the blade and with the veins covered with soft tomentum. Profichi figs 

 pyriform, small, neck long, few and not pronounced ribs, skin dark dull green, with 

 whitish dots, orifice large, flesh stained purple, gall flowers numerous, staminate 

 flowers producing abundance of pollen. Profichi figs a week earlier than Roeding 

 No. 2. The first Blastophaga were established in this country in the profichi crop of 

 this variety from the importations of Mr. Walter T. Swingle in April, 1899. [Chiefly 

 Mr. Roeding's description.] 



Roeding No. 2. — Thrifty, erect growth, with slender limbs and long-jointed wood; 

 leaves medium to large, three and five lobes, dark green, smooth, sinuses medium 

 depth, one-half that of the blade, lobes often overlap, edges of lobes wavy; petioles 

 long, one-half to two-thirds the length of blade and the veins greenish white, covered 

 with soft tomentum; lobes bluntly pointed. Profichi fruit medium, almost globular; 

 short stem and neck; ribs distinct, but not prominent; skin smooth, waxy, greenish 

 yellow; apex flat, eye m'edium, slightly raised; gall flowers numerous. Mamme crop 

 usually wanting or very small; profichi crop abundant. Valuable, Mr. Roeding says, 

 as lengthening the season for caprifying the Smyrna fig, but not reliable by itself, as 

 it does not carry a mamme crop through the winter. 



Roeding No. 3. — Tree thrifty, straggling growth, of dwarfish habit; leaves medium, 

 three and five lobes, glossy green, rough above, lighter beneath, lobes broad toward 

 the apex, bluntly pointed, sinuses broad and half the length of the blade, no overlap- 

 ping of lobes, edges coarsely serrate or wavy; petioles and veins greenish white, cov- 

 ered with short tomentum. Profichi fruit medium sized up to 3 inches long, turbinate, 

 neck and stem short; ribs conspicuous from apex to neck; skin light shining green, 

 thickly covered with whitish dots; eye large, protruding from a sunken apex; good 

 gall zone and staminate cluster; meat thick, stained with purple. The earliest of 

 the Roeding varieties and perhaps the most valuable, as it usually carries the mamme 

 crop through the winter. 



