NOTES ON RECENT RESEARCH. 



243 



The first crop (Profici) began to appear in the previous December, 

 ■and in March were caprificated by the wasps from the Mamme. 



In June and July they are ready wherewith to caprificate the second 

 -crop (Mammoni). 



The second crop began to set in June and became mature in August. 

 It is the only crop which does not pass the winter. The purpose of this 

 second crop is to furnish wasps for the third crop (Mamme) and to 

 furnish seeds. 



In the best Smyrna varieties the various crops of the Caprifig are 

 confined to distinct trees known by the following names. 



The trees which bear the winter crop called " boghadhes " are known 

 as "orginos boghadhes" ; while those trees which bear the spring crop, 

 or " ashmadhes," are known as "orginos ashmadhes." 



The Caprifigs require the presence of the Blastophaga wasps to enable 

 them to bear seeds ; but in order to produce ripe pollen- bearing Figs it 

 seems that the wasps are not necessary. Hence a Caprifig tree may 

 possess two kinds of figs, viz. "polliniferous" and " insectiferous." 

 Before caprification the Figs are all alike ; but a difference begins to 

 appear after the entry of the wasps. Their presence affects the branches 

 as well as the Figs by inciting them to grow more vigorously, and even 

 the leaves are larger. A single caprificated or insectiferous Fig will give 

 a, character to the whole branch on which it grows. The polliniferous 

 Figs remain smaller and more oblong and soon assume a yellow colour and 

 fall off, whereas the insectiferous Fig grows large and turbinate and 

 does not fall. These are the only Figs useful for caprification. They 

 carry three kinds of flowers, male, female, and gall flowers, all in the same 

 fruit. There exists also a Caprifig tree which bears Mammoni which 

 possesses only pistillate and gall flowers, but it is comparatively rare. 



Through cultivation and selection numerous types of the Caprifig 

 tree have been originated. Thus in California there are about a dozen 

 varieties. 



The importance of growing several varieties of Caprifigs in one 

 orchard cannot be over-estimated, as it will certainly be found that one 

 variety which will be suitable in one place will be a failure in another ; 

 "besides, some bear only two of the three necessary crops. Home-raised 

 seedlings should therefore be resorted to, as they are likely to produce 

 varieties suitable to the locality where they are to be grown. The 

 principal feature of a good Caprifig orchard is that there should always be 

 Figs of a proper size to receive the wasps wherever they hatch out. 



With regard to the structure of Figs, the cultivated Figs, as a rule, 

 contain female flowers only, which, not being pollinated, contain no 

 ovules [on ripening, the outer part of the carpel deliquesces into mucilage, 

 leaving a seed-like inner shell, which contains the ovule-skin only. — G. H.] 



In the Caprifig there are male, female, and gall flowers. The first are 

 always around the orifice, the others being mixed below them. 



The Mamme or winter crop, as well as the Profici, contain male and 

 gall flowers only. The Mammoni alone possessed both female and gall 

 flowers. 



The male flower has from three to five petals, no corolla, with three 

 or more stamens with polliniferous anthers. 



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