MOKACE^ 273 



wasps from the second crop come to them, depositing eggs 

 in the gall flowers. These figs, together with the eggs 

 of the wasp, hibernate until March or April, when the per- 

 fect insects hatch out, seeking the profichi stage. 



CaprificatLon. — It will be recalled that the com- 

 mon edible fig matures its fruit 'without; ^^ fertilization. 

 Such is not the case with some other types, particularly 

 Smyrna figs. The latter have only pistillate flowers and, 

 unless these are fertilized, the receptacle does not come to 

 full maturity. Hence, it has been found necessary, in 

 order to grow Smyrna figs, to resort to artificial fertiUzation. 



The artificial process of fertilization as applied to figs 

 is termed caprification. In this horticultural process, a 

 number of first-crop figs (profichi) of the Caprifig are sus- 

 pended on the branches of the Smyrna tree. The female 

 Blastophagas which hatch from the eggs in the gall flowers 

 of the profichi become covered with pollen as they emerge 

 from the figs. In search of a place to lay their eggs, they 

 go to the partly mature figs of Smyrna. They enter the 

 orifice of the fig and scatter pollen on the stigmas, and fer- 

 tilization of the ovules ensues. The pistillate flowers of the 

 Smyrna fig, unlike the gall flowers, have styles of such a 

 length that the wasps are unable to lay their eggs in the 

 proper place. Consequently, the wasps perish in the 

 fruit and their bodies are absorbed by the growing cells. 

 Gall flowers are the only ones in which eggs may be laid prop- 

 erly, and hatch. 



In California, caprification of Smyrna figs is done in 

 June or July. The second crop of San Pedro figs and 

 the first crop, but not the second, of Adriatic figs, require 

 caprification. 



Effects of Fertilization {caprification). In caprifigs, as has 

 been noted, there are two general types of receptacles: those 

 18 



