3i8 



FLOWERS 



branches of caprifigs from the staminate trees and place 

 them among the branches of the pistillate figs. They 

 knew this process improved the quality of the fruit, though 

 they did not know why. It was because it made more 

 certain the entrance of the weak-flying, pollen-bearing 

 female wasps into the pistillate inflorescences. 



Fig. 138. — Pollination of the fig. B, lengthwise section through a seed-producing 

 (pistillate) inflorescence ; note a wasp on top and another which has just crept 

 inside. D, a. staminate inflorescence with numerous sterile pistillate flowers in 

 which young wasps have hatched; note one near the opening crawling out. A, 

 one of the short-styled sterile pistillate flowers. C, a long-styled fertile pistillate 

 flower. E, young wasp just emerging from one of the sterile pistillate flowers 

 within which it was hatched. 



Another remarkable thing about the fig is that it will 

 mature its fruit (though not its seeds) even if pollination 

 does not occur. Pollination, however, especially in the 

 Smyrna fig, improves the fruit in plumpness, juiciness, and 

 flavor. These figs are now grown in Cahfornia, where 

 their culture has been greatly improved by the introduc- 

 tion of the proper polKnating wasp. Commercial figs are 

 propagated by cuttings, not by seeds, so pollination is 

 not necessary in their culture. 



