Ill 



because there is not a hillside in the interior of this State but what will 

 bear these figs. We believe that the foothills in this part of California are 

 peculiarly adapted to this variety of fig. It may grow in the valleys, but 

 I have an idea that you have to wait longer before it comes into bearing 

 than you do in the hills, and that is the reason why we have had success 

 in its fruiting. This is to be tested. The " Bulletin" Company have a great 

 many of these trees in nursery in Alameda County, which they are going 

 to take up as specimen plants, with large roots, and box and send them to 

 the hills of Placer County, so as to know whether the tendency to drop the 

 fruit is arrested by growth in the foothill situation. These results will be 

 published as soon as ascertained. 



There is much diversity in the shape of the leaves of a fig tree. On the 

 same tree you will find leaves of different shapes, some deeply cut, almost 

 no base, and some have fluted sides. You cannot tell much by the leaves, 

 but the wood has peculiar characteristics which you may discover. Now, 

 gentlemen, I submit these figs for your examination, and all I ask is an 

 honorable decision of the fruit on its merits. I am simply a horticulturist, 

 growing these things at home, and taking pride in anything that is good. 

 If any one has a better fig, I will congratulate and shake hands with him, 

 for I am working in the interest of agricultural growth in this State. 



CONFIRMATORY EVIDENCE. 



P. W. Butler, Penryn, Placer County, said: "I am a neighboor of Mr. 

 Parker, who shows this fig, and also one of those who were fortunate enough 

 to secure some of the " Bulletin " cuttings. However, those that I secured 

 dropped their fruit. My attention was called to the trees referred to by 

 Mr. Parker about two years ago by the fruit shown at the Citrus Fair held 

 in Sacramento. I had been acquainted for years with the fig of commerce, 

 having dealt in them extensively, and I noted particularly the fine quality 

 of Mr. Parker's figs. On my place I have now some fifty fig trees; among 

 others, the Ischia and White Adriatic, as grown by Strong & Co., of Sacra- 

 mento, so I am familiar with the varieties, and certainly, Mr. Parker's fig 

 is entirely different. As shown by the picture, his fig is very much more 

 globular in form, and there is no comparison as to the quality. I have 

 never seen any California-grown fig that compares with it. I consider it 

 the most valuable acquisition that has been made to our fig varieties, and 

 if I were planting figs, and could get this variety, I would take no other, 

 no matter how much it would cost." 



Dr. Edwin Kimball, of Hay wards: " From my experience and observa- 

 tion on figs, I believe that probably the best figs in the world were introduced 

 here at a very early period — a long time before the " Bulletin " importation. 

 There are scattered fig trees in many portions of the State which have been 

 entirely neglected — whose names are entirely unknown — that produce a 

 superior article of figs. I have found old trees in Alameda County exactly 

 resembling the White Adriatic fig, and I have found those resembling very 

 nearly that shown by Mr. Parker, in some portions of this State, and I 

 think the only way to determine the exact character and status of the fig 

 is by a close comparison of its leaf and its habits of growth. Of course, 

 fig trees differ according to their location. A fig grown on the coast, one 

 grown in the hot alluvial valleys, and one grown in the foothills, will pro- 

 duce three distinct varieties of fruit. W T hile the heavier yield might be 

 grown in the valley, probably the highest flavor would be found in the foot- 

 hills, and that grown on the coast would be far inferior. As to the early 

 importation of choice varieties, I would say that I saw a box of what was 



