The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-04-04
Communicated
Fig, ''The Long Neglected Fig. =

In Louisiana 'eyery man can sit
under his own vine and fig tree" The
fig seems to the "manor born indi-
genous almost Yet, only raised for
family use. Figs of many colors,
sizes, and, of a dozen variesties, are
raised, and of fair quality. The tree
grows best from cuttings. OF loo
set out by me last spring, nearly every
one grew, and Of all that started not
one was killed by the unusually dry
season that followed many bore figs,
a few of which ripened. Having
raised them in nursery form in De-
cember, ] took them up and buried
them, root and branch, in the earth.
| In March / took them out, set them
in orchard rows, not even q limb was
lost, and most of them are growing
fruit. The trees grew from four to
six feet, making very rapid growth
late in the fall, Wood very solt and
tender, being my reason for covering,
which is not generally necessary in
this climate. | succeeded equally we'll
in raising some $50 ounce stock from
cuttings without covering, ! learn
that the celestial fig meets most favor
with native growers. ~
/ have been deeply interested in fig
culture since / saw tor the first time
a fig tree near Jennings, so thrifty, SO
full of great broad, green leaves, ft
for a covering for Ewes daughters,
and full of most delicious fruit. The
+ fig comes to bearing at three years
and under, and at four to six the tree
will bear 800 to 500 lbs, and then on
up to 1000 lbs, The age of the tree
is away beyond the life Of man, by
some said to be 1000 years. Orb
notice advertised in a Florida pa
POr, the f-Agrieuiturisb 'the white
Adriatic" or "trpe fig of commerce"
The fruit, far superior to the common
fig, making the "Elearne" brand
six year old tree, yielding 1900
pounds, drying in five days, and worth |
in market 25 to 40 cents per pound,
Think of it, the fruit Of single tree
when dried, valued at over $3.50; loo |
trees per acre give the enormous sum
Of $4,000. But to come down to
valuesin common figs, as we raise them
here, any ordinary tree will yield 500
pounds of green or ripe figs; these are
worth, either for canning, preserving
or cvaporating, to cents per pound.
II we say 2 cents, then 500 pounds
would be worth $40 per tree, and 100
trees at $40 each, would be worth one
thousand dollars per acre, allowing
one-half for expense of picking, cam
ming, etc, leaves five hundred dollars
per acre, net. ..E#
Of its great value in market there
is no doubt Quiners nursery at New
Orleans, sold at cents, green, for
canning Dunbar Son & Co., canners
and preseryers Of fruits, etc, told me
they paid 3 to 81 cents per pound last
year, and show them the fruit and
they would come and can them.
Evaporators, said they were worth 4
cents per pound to eyaporate. .g Is. Il
There are several reasons why we
should plant fig trees. Fig trees need
no pruning, have no insect enemies,
bear enormous crops, live for thou.
sand years, need very little handling
in curing and packing, much less than
any other fruit known, are easier
than any other, And
finally, do not ripen their crop all at
once, but all through long season.
... S. L. CARY.