CALIFORNIA VARIETIES 



29 



tic and the commercial varieties. Of the former 

 the Mission, imported from Spain, through Mexico, 

 is best known. The fruit is large and black; the 

 trees often grow twenty feet high, with about the 

 same spread. The fruit is juicy and fairly sweet, 

 and. having been introduced with the Spanish Mis- 

 sions, is found from Napa. California, all the way 

 down through Central America to Southern Chili. 

 Other dooryard varieties are the Brown Turkey, 

 Ischia, Lugonia, Cernica. Brunswick and Genoa. 

 The Adriatic, first grown in Calaveras County, has. 

 until recently, been the commercial fig of the coast. 

 It is of medium size, fairly sweet, pyriform, thin, 

 light green skin, yellowish red pulp, and open eyed. 

 It requires a dry climate for profitable raising, as 

 humidity causes souring quickly, and. away from 

 the foot hills, has never been a success. When 

 dried it is smaller, darker and much less sweet than 

 the third grade of imported Smyrnas, and has nev- 

 er brought more than about five cents a pound re- 

 tail, this price being equivalent to less than one 

 cent a pound to the grower while the fruit is fresh. 

 These facts explain why its place in the market is 

 being rapidly taken by the acclimated, high bred 

 Smyrna, called Calimyrna. in honor of its new 

 home. 



In 1880 G. B. Kixford made the first importation 

 of Smyrna cuttings to San Francisco, and two years 

 later he received a second consignment of fourteen 

 thousand. During the latter year F. Roeding main- j 



