32 CROPS THAT PAY. 



again taking flight, she finally curls up and dies, heartbroken but not 

 until she and her companions have between t^em pollinaiea 

 female flower in the cavity with the plentiful store of ^°^J^R.^^'^.^ 

 from the caprifig— thereby insuring the development of '^"f^"^,,.-p<,,f„i 

 Thus the presence of the caprifig is essential to «'« success u. 

 cultivation of the Smyrna fig. The caprifig produces th^ee truit 

 crops each year. The Blastophagas which over-winter in a^ ^J^^;^^ 

 from the first crop find their entrance into the cavity of the bmyrna 

 fig timed to a nicety and just when the pistillate flowers '"."6 are in 

 the right state to receive the pollen with which the bodies ot tne 

 visitors are covered. In the Smyrna district and elsewhere hg grow- 

 ers at the proper season cut figs from neighboring caprifig trees ana 

 hang them in the branches of the Smyrna fees whose fruit me 

 deceived Blastophagas at once enter and fructify. Hence the bemitic 



CAPRIFICATION 



YEARBOOK FOR 1900, DIVISION ENTOMOLOGY 



. DEPT. AG'L. 



name "fig,'' which means "the tree near which another tree is planted 

 or joined," referring to the act of caprification, as described. It is 

 estimated that about 400 females breed in a single caprifig and that 

 from 50 to 100 figs per tree are needed to pollinate the crop. 



Seed of caprificated Smyrna figs, even when dried, will grow and 

 produce new varieties. From this source it is reasonably certain 

 came all of the many varieties of our Southern fig. 



