122 PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



caprifig trees should be planted in hedgerows, say fifteen to twenty feet 

 between the rows, while in the rows they should stand much closer. 

 After the trees are once planted they should never be pruned, as this 

 would let in air and sun. The wasp requires shade and shelter in order 

 to thrive. If this is furnished, then it is safe to say that the little insect 

 will take care of itself. 



A Collection of Caprifigs. — In California we have now growing 

 not less than eighteen different varieties of caprifigs, all of which have 

 been gathered together in one collection on the place of Mr. John Rock 

 at Niles. This collection includes all the figs imported by different 

 persons from abroad, as well as some varieties originated in California. 

 These varieties have been carefully described in a paper which is now 

 being printed by the United States Department of Agriculture. Many 

 of these varieties are of exceptional promise, and will no doubt be widely 

 distributed. 



Summary. — It may facilitate the understanding of the culture of the 

 caprifigs if we here recapitulate the main points which I have endeav- 

 ored to bring out in the foregoing. 



1. It is highly desirable and in many cases necessary to plant several 

 varieties of caprifigs. 



2. It is to advantage to have caprifig plantations in at least two 

 different places, in order to insure as much as possible against the frost, 

 and for the purpose of having ripe caprifigs when they are wanted. 

 With an assortment of caprifigs, and with several plantations, one of 

 which should be in a locality sheltered from severe frosts, we need 

 have no fear of the dying out of the wasps. 



3. Caprifigs should be planted close together in odd nooks and corners 

 near, or in, the orchard; or if no suitable locality is found there, as near 

 the fig orchard as convenient. 



4. Caprifigs require no pruning. They should be headed low, or 

 allowed to divide from the very ground, and suckers should be encour- 

 aged, in order that there may be plenty of shade for the wasps. 



5. The practice of grafting the caprifig on the limbs of the Smyrna 

 fig is entirely unsuitable, as it is doubtful if the wasps would live in a 

 few exposed branches. It is also doubtful if the profichi from the 

 caprifigs would ripen at the proper time and in sufficient number to 

 insure caprification of all the Smyrna figs which we wish to have 

 caprificated. 



6. Caprifigs should preferably be on their -own roots, and not grafted 

 as standards on other fig stock. 



