St. Landry democrat., 1889-11-09
Is Fig Culture Profitable?
A correspondent writes The Times DEM

LAKE CHARLES, La.
l am especially interested in fig culture;
have settled here with the intention of
raising, canning, crystallizing, preserving,
ETC., that fruit, provided it can be made
paying. find it exceedingly difficult to OBJ
tain definite information to help me along.
Every body to whom l appeal says: ooh,
yes; there's money in fgs;;" but when
pressed for particulars they come to sud-
den stop. Everybody has fig trees, but
nobody seems to raise figs except for hog
and chicken feed. Can you give me any
light on these points:
l. Is anybody, and if so who, engaged
in the cultivation of figs for market, ard
have they made it success?
9 Are the climatc, conditions of this
country, especially in regard to moisture,
favorable to the proper ripening of the
crop? Il know the trees grow luxuriantly,
but how about the fruit p
8. What are the best varieties, and where
procurahle2 (Have eaten this summer
White Celeste, Brown Turkey and Mission
all poor.
4 Are there any canning or preserving
factories or evaporators for figs in the
State7
5. Have pomegranates any market
value in the city, and is there any firm
there who handles them?
6. Does the demand exceed the supply,
or vice versa7
Z. Ins word, aud to sum up, do you
know, or do you know any one who does
know, anything positive and definite
about fig raising as business?
Shall be glad if you will give me what
light you can on this matter, either by
private letter or through the columns of
The ISnafs- Democrat. Yours,
81. P. ULFORD.
Another correspondent wants informa-
i;en:
KENTwooD, La, October, 1889.
am going into the fruit business here,
and am thinking of setting out an orchard
of fig trees. l have been told that figs
could be shipped to preserves and candy
makers in your city to advantage. | have
examined the columns of The Times Demo-
crat, but see no advertisement in relation
to it. Will you please give name of firm
or firms who are extensively engaged in
the business2 Very respectfully,
L. O. FAIRMAN.
We have long since been convinced in
our mind that fig growing for commercial
purposes is yet one of the comparatively
undeveloped industries of the Gulf States,
and have so stated in former issues of The
Times Democrat. We have always tried
to be practical and recommend nothing un-
less we were fully satisfied that earnest
and we'll directed endeavor would ulti-
mately be followed by success. Hence we
will try to answer the questions pro-
pounded by our correspondents as intelli-
gently as possible.
l. There is a large number of persons en-
gagged in growing figs upon limited scale,
both in the vicinity of New Orleans and
points on the Mississippi Sound, notably,
Biloxi. Canning factories, of which there
are four-two at Biloxi and two in New
Orleans-purchase all of the fruit offered
in it's season, and the output, which con-
sists of fresh figs put up with thin syrup
in tins, and preserved figs with thick syrup
in tins and glass, always finds ready sale
both in New Orleans and the markets of
the United states. Prices heretofore paid
in New Orleans for fresh fruit range from
81 to cents per pound. and in Biloxi from
21 to 8 cents. These establishments do
not crystalline the fruit. This method of
preserving is principally done by the con-
fectioners to supply their retail trade, and
the limited supply always sells at an ex-
travagant price in the shops. 1t is our
opinion that figs cannot be dried by the or
dlnary processes followed in the rainless
climate of California and parts of Asia Mi
nor; hence an evaporaring machine would
be necessary to the successful drying of the
fruit in the Gulf States.
Mr.. Arthur Benoir, resident of New
Orleans, is now planting figs upon an ex-
tensive scale in the neighborhood of Biloxi,
Miss, and when questioned by Tie Times
Democrat in regard to the prospects of sucs
cess, said 81 am more than pleased with
the outlook. My trees are doing well, and
am satisfied that can sell all the fruit
that can produce to the canning factories
in my neighborhood, in case do not util-
ize it myself.
2. The climatic conditions of Louisiana
are favorable t, the growth of the trees,
but it is often the case that it is with diff
Guilty that the crop can be successfully
handled. especially if it happens that q
rainy spell occurs during the ripening
season.
VARIETIES.
There are good many varieties grown
in the Gulf States, among them the Black
Genoa, White Smyrna, Red Brunswick, all
large; Green Ischia, Brown Turkey, Ce-
leste, etc.
The Celeste, as a rule, is preferred, and
is the one mostly used by Gamers. also for
home consumption. In our opinion, how