Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-06
HORTICULTURAL NOTES,

merce, as packed and cured in this
state, has not come up to expectations.
An explanation OF this fact is contained
in an article which appeared in Tues
days San Francisco Examiner. 1t is
claimed that our figs have lacked flavor
and other commercial attractions
on account OF the absence of the
Zig insect" Of whose structural
peculiarities our San Francisco
contemporary contained number
of illustrations. They have been i'm
ported by Mr.. John Shinn, and are
already at work on that gentleman's
orchard, near Niles. The Investigations
of scientists have established the fact
that the excellence OF the Smyrna figs
is due to the fact that in every seed
there is kernel, and it is this little nut
that gives the dried fruit its peculiar
and lasting flavor and fragrance. 1t
has been proved beyond doubt that the
figs of Smyrna are fertilized and made
to bear perfect seeds by busy little
insect which thrives in the wild Capri
fig, bringing the pollen to the female
flowers which produce the figs Of COM
merce.
Professor Gustav Eisen, of Berkeley
university, is authority for the value of
this importation. He says of the little
foreigner:
''I have today seen in the fig orchards
on the farm of James Shinn, at Niles,
| the fig insect Of Smyrna at work. The
insects were brought in twenty-five days
from Smyrna by way of New York, and
but few of them died on the way.
NOW that the insects are here be-
.lieve that they will live and thrive and
| make California figs the equal of any,
and this the greatest reproducing coun-
try in the world"
This is certainly highly gratifying.
When one bears in mind how large and
luscious the purple fig as grown in Los
Angeles and the othercounties of South
ern California:is, it seems reasonable to
assume that we can grow the Smyrna
fig of commerce with equal ease. Yet
that we have only been partially sue
cessful is shown by the fact that while
the imported Smyrna dry fig sells in the
New York market at from eighteen to
thirty cents pound, the California
staple commands but from six to eight
cents pound.
While we may cheerfully acknowledge
our Indebtedness to Europe for the BEN
efits which will flow from the fig insect
-and they are reported to. be vigorous
and hardy, few only Of them having
died on the trip-this state has done an
inestimable service to France in having
checked the ravages OF the phylloxera.
The importation of the wild grape vines
Of this country, on which are grated the
famous French wine grapes, has proved
of sovereign efficacy in restoring the
French vineyards to their old preemin-
ence. 1t is interesting to note that the
valuable qualities of the resultant wines
are maintained or improved upon. We
quote from the News Letter a valuable
summary of the results thus far noted on
official authority as result of interest
ing experiments that have lasted for
/ years:
Attention has heretofore been called
to evidences of the value OF native
American vines as means of restoring
the French vineyards destroyed by the
phylloxera. The matter is not only one
OF great moment to France, but is of
great interest to California also. There
is no question but that phylloxera is
\ spreading in Napa valley and other por-
tions of the state. Ii the wild vines
that abound in 30 lmany OF our cafions
will really resist the dread disease the
fact cannot be made too widely known.
An Associated Press correspondent has
been gathering the opinions of noted
French specialists concerning the condi-
tion of the vine-growing regions. One
senator from the department OF Gard
said that out OF 9S, 900 hectares of vine-
yards there, only one eighth escaped.
Now, however, 10000 hectares are
planted with American vines and are
doing well. A vice-president,o OF depart
mental phylloxera committee said that
the territory in the department of the
Lower ChaFente, covered with Amer
lean vines, has nearly doubled. In the
department, of which Marseilles is the
capital, the region planted with Amer.
ican vines equals that planted with
French vines. Another expert, pro-
fessor of agriculture, is quoted az saying
that French vines grated on American
stocks yield wine as good if not bet
ter than that given by the ungrafted
French species. Reports of like favor
able character have been received from
almost all the great vine growing dis
tricts of France. Native vines are
found growing luxuriantly over a large
portion OF California, SO that the supply
is we'll nigh inexhaustible. The vines
on which the phylloxera insect has
made it's appearance should be destroyed
forthwith.
There is an emphatic demand from
all quarters that the cargo of infected
Tahiti oranges which is under surveil-
lance at San Pedro should be destroyed,
and that importations OF orange stock
from any infected quarter should be
prohibited. The people of California
have suffered too much already to risk
the great loss and even ruin that would
be sure to follow any relaxation of the
protective laws passed by the legisla-
ture. These laws should not only be
enforced but they ought to be made far
more sweeping at the next session of
that body.