18 BULLETIN 732, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
APPLICATION OF CAPRIFIGS TO SMYRNA TREES. 
Various methods are employed in suspending caprifigs in the 
Smyrna trees. The figs may be strung on strings or raffia by means 
of a coarse needle into which the string is-threaded. These chaplets 
of four or five figs each are then suspended in the Stnyrna branches, 
preferably in the shady parts of the tree. Another method is to put 
the caprifigs into cornucopia-shaped baskets made of coarse galvan- 
ized-wire cloth. These baskets may be used year after year, or may 
~ even be left suspended in the trees. 
Some experienced growers find that it pays to suspend small pans 
filled with moist sand in the trees, into which the caprifigs are pushed, 
stem down, two-thirds of their length. This prevents the fig from 
drying out and permits all the Blastophaga to escape. 
WHEN SMYRNA FIGS ARE RECEPTIVE. 
Smyrna figs are in a receptive condition from the time they are the 
size of filberts to that of sma!l walnuts, say from five-eighths of an 
inch to about an inch in diameter. At this time the fig is glossy, with 
prominent ribs. Soon after caprification it becomes smooth and loses 
its gloss. (See fig. 8.) On cutting open such a fig a few hours after 
it has been entered by the insect the styles and stigmas of the flowers 
will be observed to have turned brown from injury caused by the 
Blastophaga. The best evidence, however, to indicate that the fig 
has been entered by the insect is the presence at the eye of the wings 
which have been left behind in effecting the entrance. These will be 
visible for a day or more it the weather is not windy. 
SEVERAL APPLICATIONS OF CAPRIFIGS ADVANTAGEOUS. 
Dr. Eisen has shown that a number of applications of caprifigs to 
each tree greatly increases the crop, for the reason that when the 
caprifigs are first hung in a Smyrna tree only a part of the figs arein a 
receptive condition. In warm weather these caprifigs are exhausted 
of most of the insects in four or five days. Meantime, otherSmyrna 
figs have pushed and have reached a receptive condition, and another . © 
supply of caprifigs at this time will be required for their pollination. _ 
Three or four such applications four or five days apart will be found 
to increase greatly the setting of fruit. As the Smyrna crop depends 
absolutely upon the supply of insects it is found that a liberal applica- 
tion of caprifigs is desirable. For trees 4 to 6 years of age, 10 or 12 
figs for each will be found sufficient, while for trees from 8 to 12 years 
old the number should be doubled. One experienced grower in the 
San Joaquin Valley, whose trees are about 12 years of age, informs 
the writer that he greatly increases his crop by applying as many as 
50 to 150 caprifigs to each tree. 
RRR ee Ae At oy cata dirpelitiguntdiiiceiatinns 
