50 



FIG CULTURE 



jectural. Except in local markets, it would not be 

 a dependable crop in the fresh state. One of the 

 best known fig raisers says: 4 'During the hot sea- 

 son, when it attains its greatest perfection, it will 

 stand for only a few hours, then becoming sour 

 and worthless. If gathered green enough to stand 

 shipping it will never ripen up with its natural 

 flavor. " For these, as well as for other persuasive 

 reasons, the fig growers have omitted the Smyrna, 

 in the South, choosing, instead, that hardy, prolific 

 and reliable variety known in Texas- and Louisi- 

 ana as the Magnolia, or Brunswick. 



The Brunswick has many pet names, among 

 which are Magnolia. Eed. Large White Turkey. 

 Boughton. De St. Jean. Clementine. Bayswater. 

 Hanover and Madonna. It is pyriform with swol- 

 len cheeks, rather unsymmetrical. short neck, dis- 

 tinct ribs, open eye with dark iris, greenish yellow 

 to pale amber when ripened in the shade, otherwise 

 dark violet shading to red. The place it now oc- 

 cupies as the commercial fig of the South is due to 

 large size, abundant juice and the fleshy envelope 

 of fruit pulp just under the skin which allows of 

 preserving without cooking to pieces. Even after 

 the skin is removed it holds a natural shape during 

 canning better than any other variety. The sugar 

 content is about average, the per cent not being as 

 high as that of the Smyrna and the Celeste. The 

 tree naturally takes the habit of a large bush in this 

 locality, and by pruning can be trained to a single. 



