210 



TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



was not until the wasp was established in this orchard from a consign- 

 ment of insects sent from Fresno to Mr. Mazel, the present owner, that 

 attention was attracted to it by the endless number of varieties it con- 

 tained. Several Caprifigs were also found growing among the seedlings. 

 The hopelessness of the task of establishing a commercial fig orchard 

 from Smyrna fig seeds is therefore apparent at a glance. 



No class of fruit can be put to such a variety of uses as the fig. 

 It is exceedingly palatable in the fresh state; it can be canned, pickled, 

 preserved, crystallized, and as a dried product it excels every other 

 fruit, being the only one which is palatable without some previous 

 preparation. Fig pulp is extensively used in the manufacture of crack- 

 ers, also for making strawberry and raspberry jams. Fortunately for 

 the consumer, no deleterious effects result from this adulteration. Even 

 coffee is made from figs, having properties said to be superior to those 

 of the coffee bean. 



No tree is freer from disease or will thrive under so many adverse 

 conditions and adapt itself to such a variety of soils and still produce 

 good crops. With the right variety to start with, there is every reason 

 to believe that fig-growing in California promises to be one of its remun- 

 erative industries. 



If steps are taken promptly to graft all the Adriatic varieties of figs 

 into the Calimyrna, it will only be a question of a few years when Cali- 

 fornia will be shipping fully as many tons of this variety as she is of 

 Adriatics to-day. 



The Smyrna fig has been cultivated only in a limited way in Cali- 

 fornia outside of Fresno County, but wherever found it has done well. 

 Of course there is more than one variety of Smyrna fig. I have five 

 named varieties which I received under names from Smyrna; and in 

 addition to these there are four or five individual varieties, individual 

 trees which are entirely distinct from the "true fig of commerce." 

 None of the other varieties dry or make as fine a fig as the fig of com- 

 merce. The Adriatic variety belongs to an entirely different family. 

 It has what is known as mule flowers. You will occasionally find, 

 when the wasp enters the fig, that it will fertilize a few of the flowers, 

 but, as far as changing the general character of the fig is concerned, or 

 preventing the fig from souring, there is no change. We have Adri- 

 atic figs, particularly the White Adriatic, immediately adjoining the 

 Calimyrnas, and seventy-five per cent of the Adriatics will be sour while 

 it is almost impossible to find a sour Smyrna fig. 



