212 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Chapter XI V. deals with the terms used for describing Figs. 



Chapter XV. contains a catalogue and description of Figs. 



Chapter XVI. treats of the chemical analysis of soils and Figs ; while the 

 remaining four chapters contain statistics of the production and importa- 

 tion of Figs, household recipes, bibliography, and tables of temperature, 

 precipitation, and humidity in the principal Fig regions. 



Caprification. — The fifth chapter, containing 58 pages, is devoted to 

 caprification as now practised in California with Smyrna Figs only, all 

 other edible kinds, some 100 in number, not requiring it ; for although the 

 receptacles contain female flowers in plenty, if not always exclusively so, 

 they mature the fruits without setting any seed at all, as pipless Oranges, 

 seedless Cucumbers, Bananas, &c. 



Some botanists maintain that caprification, or the fertilisation of the 

 edible Fig with the pollen of the wild ' Caprifig ' by means of a minute 

 wasp (Blastophaga grassorum), is unnecessary, they having experimented 

 with Figs which do not require it. But experiments prove that for the 

 varieties from Smyrna it is essential. There are two varieties of the 

 latter at least, recognised as ' Bulletin ' and ' Lobfig.' 



The Caprifig contains some 600 wasps, and one tree will be sufficient 

 for 50 Smyrna trees. 



They should be grown elsewhere than in the orchard and in more 

 shady places. 



To secure a crop of wasps one to five good Caprifigs are suspended at 

 the right period in a Caprifig tree to start a colony. There are three 

 annual crops called ' Profici ' in March or April ; the 1 Mammoni ' or 

 summer crops and the ' Mamme ' or winter crop. 



As these may not be always respectively quite ready with the Blasto- 

 phaga, it is desirable to have different varieties of the Caprifig. 



The crops of the Edible Fig are also three annually, corresponding to 

 those of the Caprifig ; but some trees bear one or two crops only. 



Shortly before the Fig tree begins to leaf out in the spring small 

 button-like Figs push out from the last year's wood from the axils of the 

 last year's fallen leaves. They mature in May or June. This is the first 

 crop, known as brebas (or St. John's Figs in Malta, as they ripen about 

 St. John Baptist's day, June 24). 



The second crop arises from the axils of the present year's leaves. 

 These form the main crop, ripening in August. 



The third crop forms in August, ripening in the winter ; but it is not 

 greatly distinct from the second crop, both developing from the axils of 

 the leaves of the season. Sometimes the last Figs of the third crop do 

 not fall in the autumn, but in the next spring, just as the first crop. 



In the Caprifig the three crops correspond to those of the Edible Fig. 

 Like the Edible Fig trees they may bear one or two only of the three 

 crops. 



At Niles, California, the crops of the Caprifig succeed each other as 

 follows : At the fall many Figs as large as Walnuts are situated at the 

 ends of the branches. They first appeared in July and were caprificated 

 in September. This is the third crop (Mamme). In March following 

 they became mature, and the wasps escaping from them enter the first 

 new crop (Profici). 



