26 



FIG CULTURE 



ulus, the founder of Rome, suckled a she-wolf under 

 a certain fig tree, which tree was supposed to 

 have lived until long after the rulers of that 

 country emerged from their mythological character ; 

 we have also read that the prophet Mohammed ex- 

 claimed over his desire to take figs, of all fruit, with 

 him to Paradise. 



At times the figs of Portugal and Italy have riv- 

 aled those from the Meander Valley, even to the ex- 

 tent of monopolizing the European markets; but 

 the Smyrna fig, as grown and packed at its ancient 

 home, has successfully overcome competition with 

 its western rivals, until now it has driven every 

 other variety from all but local fields, being well es- 

 stablished as the standard dried fig of the world. 

 It remains to be seen what will result from the re- 

 cently developed Calimyrna, or Cali(fornia-S)myr- 

 na fig, when that important fruit is raised in suffi- 

 cient quantity to come into open competition with 

 Asiatic expectations in the large markets of the 

 world. 



