k 244 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the first crop the stamens attain their full development in June or 

 July, or about two months after the maturity of the stigmas of the 

 female flowers, which therefore cannot be pollinated by the stamens 

 in the same Fig. Their function is to pollinate the female flowers of the 

 succeeding crop. The pollen of the Profici is very abundant and of a 

 pale yellow colour. 



The Edible Fig does not, as a rule, possess any male flowers at all. 



The anthers in the male flowers are not always properly developed. 

 This is especially the case in seedlings raised from Smyrna Fig seeds 

 which originated from a pollination with the Caprifig. Such seedlings 

 do not all possess male flowers ; those that do are more or less similar 

 to the Caprifig flowers, the anthers frequently being as well developed as 

 in the real Wild Fig. 



Female flowers and fertile seeds occur only in the second crop or 

 Mammoni, but very rarely is there more than one or two seeds to 

 a Fig. 



The female flower has from three to five sepals, no corolla or stamens. 

 The ovary is ovoid surmounted by a style with two stigmas, one being 

 longer than the other. 



When the male flowers of the Profici are mature, female flowers of 

 the second crop of the Smyrna Figs are prepared to receive the pollen. 

 This is in June or July according to climatic conditions. 



The gall flowers in all Caprifigs are female flowers of which the pistil 

 is modified in anticipation of the reception of the egg of the wasp. 

 They never produce seed. The sepals are smaller and more unequal in 

 size, the ovary is more globular in shape, the stigma funnel-shaped, and 

 the stigmatic surfaces rudimentary. 



On the other hand the cause of the inability of the wasp to breed in 

 common Edible Figs is due to the fact that they contain only flowers 

 having pistils unsuitable as breeding-places for the wasps, not being 

 modified as of gall flowers, and being apparently degenerate in form. 



With regard to male flowers in Edible Figs it is the rule that there 

 are none, female flowers occupying the whole of the interior surface. 



A variety which regularly produces seed is ' Croisie,' cultivated at 

 Croisie on the coast of Brittany. 



A somewhat similar Fig is cultivated at Cherbourg, but the male 

 flowers are degenerated. They are believed to be highly developed 

 Caprifigs which have become edible. 



One instance only is known of male flowers in an Edible Fig in 

 California. It occurred in a box of Figs from Cordelia, in Solano County, 

 of a large yellow variety. The zone of male flowers produced an 

 abundance of pollen. It is thought to be possibly identical with the 

 Croisie. 



Seedlings have been raised from Smyrna Figs, which must be con- 

 sidered as improved Caprifigs — i.e. improved by being raised from seed of 

 Smyrna Figs. 



Edible Figs possessing male flowers are inferior from a horticultural 

 point of view. 



The Erinocyce Fig was first described by Pontedera. It is characterised 

 as standing halfway between the Caprifig and the Edible Fig. Its first 



