134 



OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



ment, kindly volunteered to render me every assistance in his power 

 to bring the matter to a successful issue. He also sent me a number of 

 Capri figs containing insects, but with his, as well as with all other 

 shipments received, I failed to establish the insect. 



Mr. Koebele, in his correspondence with me, finally stated that he 

 was well satisfied that each variety of ficus had its own species of Blas- 

 tophaga, and in his opinion if I wished to succeed it would be necessary 

 to import the insect from the locality from which my Capri fig trees 

 had been sent. 



The Division of Entomology of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture had been fully cognizant of the importance of this matter 

 for a number of years, but no active steps were taken by it until a letter 

 from the California State Board of Trade, to the Hon. James Wilson, 

 requesting his assistance, was written. This letter was referred to Dr. 

 L. 0. Howard, .Chief of the Division of Entomology, who at once placed 

 himself in communication with Mr. Walter T. Swingle, a member of 

 the Division of Botany, who was then traveling in Europe. 



Mr. Swingle had made some investigations into the matter of caprifi- 

 cation on his own account before he received any communication from 

 Dr. How r ard, and the first consignments, sent by him in 1898, were 

 practically made at his own expense. 



The first shipment was received April 15, 1898, and I made the fol- 

 lowing note at the time: "Received first Capris wrapped in tinfoil and 

 packed in cotton. Hundreds of insects emerged, but all died the 

 following day." 



Other shipments were received early in May, but not in s good 

 condition as the first. None of the insects, however, from any of the 

 shipments, established themselves. 



Figs packed in tinfoil in 1898 arrived in such good condition that all 

 the consignments sent in 1899 were packed in this manner, the first 

 shipment of forty figs, arriving April 6th. The fruits received were cut 

 open, placed in fruit jars, and then hung in a Capri fig tree growing 

 in the orchard, the same having been previously prepared for the insects 

 by covering with sheeting. Five other shipments were received between 

 the date named and April 15th, the greater part of the fruits being 

 handled in the manner described. 



I had made so many failures in attempting to introduce the insect in 

 previous years in this manner, that I had very little confidence in the 

 success of this venture, and the following is an extract from my letter 

 to Dr. Howard: 



I will cut the figs open and place them under the wild fig tree, which I have covered, 

 hut I anticipate no results, and I do not think a success will be made in this, matter 

 until fig trees, with the figs on the branches, are sent out here during the winter months.' 

 If this is done the insects will have a chance to develop in a natural way, and, being full 

 of vitality, will enter our wild figs here just as they do in their nativity, passing from 

 one crop of Capris to another. 



