The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-29
ISif all "ROsh -

spec al Correspondence Palatka NEw>.
In an article on the Smyrna and
Florida figs in the Florida Dispatch Of
May eth, the writer says of the method
of fertilizing the Fix as described by the
San Francisco Chronicle which it quotes,
We believe it all bosh." IL is assumed
by the writer that experiments made in
Naples and observations taken in Florida
with five varieties of figs, by the writer,
have demonstrated THAT the liz is self
fertilizing and that the theory of male
and female zig tree is d NTH" am
afraid the writer Of thar article Is too
haStsv in his conclusion. Is not his proof
simply and only negative That the
trees experimental upon in Naples and
In Jacksonville are self-fertilizing may be
true. And it may be equally true that
there are fig trees growing in Smyrna
and in California that are not self-fertil-
izing. IL may also be true that the same
variety may be self-fertilizing under one
class Of condition, and quite different
under another class OF circumstances.
Now It Is known to all botanists that the
propagation Of any tree or plant other
wise than by seed weakens these produc-
tive organs. The continued propagation
by these methods often results in the all
sence Of seeds and in some cases the
failure of fruit. The banana has lost
its seed by this process but retains its
fruit.
The potato seldom produces fruit, but
when II does there Is an abundance OF
seed.
May We not presume that the tig has
been so long propagated by layers and
cuttings that 1t has lost its stamens in
some instances and needs to lie artificial
IL feitilized: OF all the fruits we Guilt
vate the fig may be the most difficult to
determine Just what the facts are in any
case. The flower and It's attendant Or
gans being inside the fruit with only q
very small hole in the blossom end, it
can only Le examined by destroying the
fruit and then il both pistils and sta.
mems are found present and perfect, can
it be known that the pollen has vitality |!
Our knowledge must be mainly negative.
II the method adopted on the Levant
Is looked upon as Inadequate to perform
the work assigned toit, think Il little
reflection and few fact, will show it in
quite a different light. 1t can hardly be
supposed that generation after genera
ton Of people would keep upa method
OF fruit culture originating and based
only upon superstition. The old maxim
what everybody believes must be true"
has some force here.
The method as described has some
show Of reason in 1t or am mistaken.
II Is as follows:
The fruit Of the wild trees at certain sea.
sons (at certain seasons say is gathered
and strung on strings and these are sus-
pended among the limbs OF the cultivat-
ed trees. Now notice the possible result.
We assume the cultivated tree lack the
pollen necessary 10 modification. The
wild fig has il. The wild fig has the
stronger aroma the insect is attracted to
il first. The cultivated iig has nectar
and the insect being brought near it by
the smell Of the blossom Of the wild fig.
discovers the nectar, passes into the cul.
tivated iig and il is fertilized by the
pollen that adheres 10 its body and feet.
see nothing unnatural OK ''bOshy" in
this. The writer Of the article may b.
TIkUt, dtpt ttc tticOby tuut uOIVCt VI
some other may he the true one.
Absolute demonstrations in such IN
trcate cases are quite uncommon, II no
impossible. To confirm the theory sug.
gest, state two cases coming under my
own observation. have a celestial fig
tree that has been on my place ten years.
It constantly sets full crop Of fruit and
rs constantly, with but few exceptions,
drops the same when they have made
their first growth. know another tree
of the same variety whose top joins and
intermingles with the top Of q yellow or
green fix tree and 1t ripens its crops
steadily without failure and Is priced
above the other variety. Both trees Of
the celestial iig are on high pine land
Last season took especial care to fer
tlizC, and in the season Of development,
of the fruit to water my tree, hoping
thereby to obtain q crop Of fruit. II
made no difference, the fruit dropped
as before.
Intend totry the Levant method this
year with the difference | shall use the
green iiginstead of the wild. But the writer
OF. the article in the Dispatch says his
celestial figs are self-fertilizing. Perhaps
he has other fig trees standing near the
celestias. And perhaps his sol or the
stamina Of trees brought from u diff
ferent place may perfect the pollen.
"One swallow does not make sum-
mer.' shall be glad to know how to
perfect the fruit on my trees without ar
titicial fertilization. And shall he glad
to succeed with it. Rustic.