SMYRNA FIG CULTURE. 39 
Ficus pseudocarica.—Introduced into California by Dr. Franceschi, of Santa Bar- 
bara. Thrifty tree, spreading habit, young wood pink, covered with short dense 
tomentum; leaves medium sized, with three and five lobes, sinuses broad and shal- 
low, one-quarter to one-third the depth of blade, lobes acute pointed, glossy green 
above, lighter below; petioles and veins pinkish, covered with soft tomentum; peti- 
oles half the length of the blade; stipules greenish pink. Figs of the mamme crop 
three-eighths to one-half an inch in diameter, long, slim neck, stemvery long, greenish 
red; profichi figs small, one-half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, coppery red, 
long stem and neck, ribs prominent, color reddish toward sun; eye small, raised above 
surface, scales red. This caprifig, a native of northeastern Africa, is peculiar in that 
figs of the mamme crop always contain stamens and can be used to caprify first-crop 
Smyrnas, a fact noted first by Walter T. Swingle, of the United States Department of 
Agriculture. _ | 
_ Bleasdale.—Large spreading tree, dense top, clean trunk about 14 feet in diameter; 
leaves dark glossy green, rough, mostly three, a few five lobed, many entire, large, up 
to 8 by 8 inches, lobes obtuse, sinuses broad and shallow, half the depth of the blade, 
edges finely to coarsely serrate or wavy; carries a good mamme crop from three-fourths 
of an inch to 14 inches in diameter; petioles medium to long, up to one-half to two- 
thirds the length of the blade, petioles and veins greenish white and slightly tomentose. 
Figs of the profichi crop green and firm when the insects issue; rather late; abundant 
staminate cluster and large gall zone. One of the most valuable seedling capri trees 
of the Maslin orchard, never failing to carry a good mamme crop through the winter, 
with a very large profichi crop in the spring. Named for the late Dr. John Bleasdale, 
a prolific writer on the fig. 7 
Roeding No. 1.—A thrifty tree of low, spreading habit, long-jointed wood, leaves 
dark green without gloss, lighter shade below, three and five lobed, some entire, sin- 
uses broad, shallow, edges coarsely serrate or wavy, petioles one-third to one-half the 
length of the blade and with the veins covered with soft tomentum. Profichi figs 
pyriform, small, neck long, few and not pronounced ribs, skin dark dull green, with 
whitish dots, orifice large, flesh stained purple, gall flowers numerous, staminate 
flowers producing abundance of pollen. Profichi figs a week earlier than Roeding 
No. 2. The first Blastophaga were established in this country in the profichi crop of 
this variety from the importations of Mr. Walter T. Swingle in April, 1899. [Chiefly 
Mr. Roeding’s description. ] 
Roeding No. 2.—Thrifty, erect growth, with slender limbs and long-jointed wood; 
leaves medium to large, three and five lobes, dark green, smooth, sinuses medium 
depth, one-half that of the blade, lobes cften overlap, edges of lobes wavy; petioles 
long, one-half to two-thirds the length of blade and the veins greenish white, covered 
with soft tomentum; lobes bluntly pointed. Profichi fruit medium, almost globular; 
short stem and neck; ribs distinct, but not prominent; skin smooth, waxy, greenish 
yellow; apex flat, eye medium, slightly raised; gall flowers numerous. Mamme crop 
usually wanting or very small; profichi crop abundant. Valuable, Mr. Roeding says, 
as lengthening the season for caprifying the Smyrna fig, but not reliable by itself, as 
it does not carry a mamme crop through the winter. 
Roeding No. 3.—Tree thrifty, straggling growth, of dwarfish habit; leaves medium, 
three and five lobes, glossy green, rough above, lighter beneath, lobes broad toward 
the apex, bluntly pointed, sinuses broad and half the length of the blade, no overlap- 
ping of lobes, edges coarsely serrate or wavy; petioles and veins greenish white, cov- 
ered with shorttomentum. Profichi fruit medium sized up to 3 inches long, turbinate, 
neck and stem short; ribs conspicuous from apex to neck; skin light shining green, 
thickly covered with whitish dots; eye large, protruding from a sunken apex; good 
gall zone and staminate cluster; meat thick, stained with purple. The earliest of 
the Roeding varieties and perhaps the most valuable, as it usually carries the mamme 
crop through the winter. 
