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OFFICIAL KEPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



in placing on the market, long before this, a fig as palatable and 

 delicious as the imported Smyrna fig is known to be. 



Importations of cuttings and trees have been made by various Cali- 

 fornia parties for the past twenty years, but the most of those who were 

 interested in the matter, failing to succeed, attributed their lack of 

 success to the climate, and ceased to experiment or investigate the 

 matter any further. 



In 1886 Mr. Frederick Roeding, proprietor of the Fancher Creek 

 Nursery, having become convinced that the White Adriatic fig was a 

 far inferior fruit to the imported article, decided to send one of his men 

 lo Smyrna to investigate the matter and at the same time bring home 

 cuttings of figs and other fruits adapted to this climate. 



The difficulties in obtaining information and securing cuttings were 

 many, but after a journey of seven months, the cuttings reached 

 Fresno in June, 1887. The cuttings consisted of 15,000 figs, as well as 

 several thousand cuttings of olives, pomegranates, etc. They were 

 packed in moist sawdust and were found to be in excellent condition 

 on arrival, but owing to the lateness of the season only a small percent- 

 age grew. 



The following year the first orchard of twenty acres, consisting of 

 forty Capri figs and the balance Smyrna figs, with the exception of 

 some seventy-five Smyrna table figs divided into three varieties, was 

 planted by the Fancher Creek Nursery. In 1889, twenty acres more, 

 and in 1891 an additional twenty acres were planted. 



The final planting was made on the strength of my having succeeded 

 in producing figs by artificial pollination. Becoming satisfied that I 

 had the genuine fig of commerce, I did not hesitate to increase my acre- 

 age, for having the Capri fig and the Smyrna fig, I anticipated no diffi- 

 culty in introducing and establishing the fig insect, "Blastophaga." 



The first Smyrna figs grown in the United States were produced in 

 1890 on the Fancher Creek Nursery, the pollen having been taken from 

 the June crop of Capris and introduced into the Smyrna fig by means 

 of a toothpick. As a result of this artificial fertilization I produced 

 four figs, and in 1891 one hundred and fifty fruits by using a glass tube 

 drawn very fine at one end to introduce the pollen. After gathering a 

 little of this pollen in the end of the tube, I inserted it into the orifice 

 of the fig and then blew into it. This method was a great improve- 

 ment over the old one. Samples of the dried fruits were sent to a 

 number of prominent fruit-growers, and among them, Mr. B. M. Lelong. 

 The following is a copy of his letter to me: 



San Francisco, October 4, 1891. 

 I have very carefully examined the Smyrna figs which you left and which were artifi- 

 cially caprified by you. I desire to congratulate you upon having produced the first fig 

 containing seed of fertile kernel. I have also carefully compared them with other figs, 

 such as the White Adriatic, and even with the imported, and I find these to be of superior 



