Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-29

in three grades, Nos. and 2 are put
in goat-hair sacks and taken by camel
to the nearest shipping points. No.
consists OF the worthless and split figs
and are used for distilling purposes.
ONE CROP.
The Smyrna fig only bears ono croI
annually, that is, only one crop which
natures fruit. The figs appear IN the
latter part OF June, are fertilized ii July
and mature their fruit from Augubt Isl
to October 1st.
As to the growing of the wild .ol
caprificus, / shall make reference Fher
| take up the subject Of capriicatidn.
GRADING AND PACKING.
Goat hair sacks are used for theIehip'
ping Of the dried figs, because the fibre
from an ordinary sack would adhere to
the figs, being sticky and sugary, while
goat hair sacks leave them perfectly
clean. The figs on arrival at the rail
road depot in the city of Smyrna are
loaded on camels and distributed to the
different packing houses; or if not con-
signed, are taken to the fig marketto be
disposed of at auction.
The packing houses are all large estab-
lishments, employing from 300 10 400
men and women, who are paid according
to their expertness. The layer packers
receive the highest wages, from 75cents
to $l.25 per day; sorters, mostly women,
are paid 20 cents day. The figs when
brought to the packing houses are emp
tied out of the sacks in large heaps,
around which are seated women with a
stone jar filled with sea-salt water, who
grade and supple the figs. The salt
water is used to prevent the figs from
sticking to the fingers, and also to assist
in suppling. The grader takes upla fig,
closes the hand over it, turns it
over once or twice, then pulls it
until it is shaped like bag. This hand
ling, of the fig leaves it very sdft and
pliable, and it is now again graded by
pitching it into Nos. /, 2, 3 OF 4basket
according to its quality. These baskets
are obout 20 inches in diameter, with
sides about A inches high, and when
filled are taken to the packing fooms,
which are long and narrow, being from
Is to 20 feet wide, with narrow benches
about feet from the wall on each side,
running the length of the room, with
one row of packers on each side, leaving
a avacant space in the center of the room
for the convenience of the boys bringing
in the figs and taking away the packed
boxes
On the bench within reach Of each
man are placed stone jars of seawater
in which are leaves of the laurel left
there to nnoisten; the packer keeps his
hand very wet by dipping in the jars.
The men packing No.. l all sit together,
likewise No. 2 and 8; the No. is not
packed, but is pressed in drums. When
q basket of No. 1 is placed before the
packer he grades the figs again by taking
all the best figs out and passing them to
No. 2 packer, who again selects and
passes to No. 9 those which do not suit
him. The figs are put up in half-pound
and up to twenty-pound boxes. The
packer takes fig out of the basket be-
fore him, squeezes it fat, and by using
his thumb and forefnger ~of each hand
he brings the stem of the fig on the up
per side and the eye or estilum
underneath. He then pulls the
fig as much as possible, squeezing
it very thin; then again takes
the fig in both hands with the stem
end turned down, the thumbs being
pressed closely together on the opposite
side, with the two forefngers placed
firmly against the fig underneath. Still
pressing the thumb down he gradually
draws them in opposite directions and
splits the fig by this process from the
stem to the eve; then turning the stem
towards him he straightenssthe fig out,
making the sides nearly square, when it
is ready to be placed in the box. This
is the most difficult part of packing. the
object being to have the bottom layer
look as we'll as the top should the box
be opened from the bottom. have ex-
amined large boxes of Smyrna figs and
have found without exception one layer
packed just like the other.