Fruit Interests. 



27 



Your committee* on "The Fig," after devoting considerable time and 

 labor to carefully examining very many varieties grown and cured in this 

 State, and comparing them with the imported Smyrna, or "Fig of Com- 

 merce, " respectfully report that we have arrived at the following conclu- 

 sions : 



First — That the true type Smyrna fig, the variety known as the "Fig of 

 Commerce, " as imported and sold in the markets of this country, has not been 

 produced, so far as this committee could discover, in this State up to the 

 present time. 



Second — That the different fig trees growing in this State, known and de- 

 signated as the true Smyrna, have not thus far produced the true type 

 Smyrna or " Fig of Commerce." 



Third — That all of these varieties, including the White Adriatic, are pro- 

 ducing fruit valuable for drying and are worthy the attention of all who de- 

 sire to grow figs, either for profit or pleasure. 



Fourth — That the foothill regions of the State are especially adapted to 

 the growing of figs and produce the finest qualities, and these uplands are, 

 in our judgment, preferable to the lowlands of our interior valleys for suc- 

 cessful fig culture. 



Fifth — That growers of figs in California are impatient and expect too 

 much of their trees. The Smyrna fig tree does not produce and mature its 

 true type fruit until the eighth or tenth year from planting, even at Smyrna, 

 the home of the fig. Why should we reasonably expect better results in 

 California ? But some California growers do expect most extraordinary 

 results from very young, scattered fig trees. They expect an abundant crop 

 of mature figs from three or four-year-old trees, and stand ready to condemn 

 the trees if such results are not realized. 



Curing, Preparing and Packing the Fig for Market. — This com- 

 mittee, after a careful investigation, further find and are prepared to 

 say that very many changes from present methods are desirable, and that 

 there is a chance for great improvement. Under this head, we will sub- 

 divide as follows : 



First — The fig should be allowed to thoroughly mature and ripen upon 

 the tree before it is gathered. By this we do not mean to be understood 

 that the fig should be over-ripe. 



Second — That the fig may be improved by bleaching, but that at present 

 our growers sulphur entirely too long. Six to eight hours in the sulphur 

 box will ruin any fruit, particularly the delicate fig, as it destroys the flavor, 

 bleaches the pulp and flowers of the fruit and renders it tasteless and prac- 

 tically worthless for market. The time required to arrest fermentation and 

 prevent oxidization is from ten to thirty minutes, varying as to conditions 

 and circumstances. 



Third — Figs should be thoroughly sweated in bulk after drying, care be- 

 ing exercised not to dry them too much, and after thorough evaporation and 

 sweating, they should be dipped in clear, scalding water before packing. 

 The sweating process will equalize and soften the fig and prevent it from 

 turning sour after being packed. 



Fourth — The figs should be graded, both as to size and quality, into three 

 uniform sizes, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Grades Nos. 1 and 2 should be more or 

 less handled and then packed in layers in boxes of convenient size. Grade 

 No. 3, being the small, poor figs, should be packed in canvas bags holding 

 about sixty pounds. 



*B. N. Rowley, G. P. Rixford, Alfred T. Perkins. 



