The record-union., 1897-10-03
FIG CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA.
THE STATE BOARD OF TRADE
IS INTERESTED.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
VIII Endeavor to Promote
That Industry.

addressed a communication TO the
United States Secretary Of Agriculture
Hon James Wilson, respecting the cult
ure Of the fig in California, and setting
forth how it can be made a great indus
try
That the interest Of the Secretary OF
Agriculture was aroused by the COM
munication. is evident from his reply
to the committee in which he states
that he will consult with DR.. Howard
Chief of the chronological DIVISION,
and if it proves necessary, in the opln-
Ion of scientists. will stop at no ex-
pense to help in the matter Of restrict
ing fig importation. and to assist IN the
culture Of the fruit.
THE WILSON LETTER.
The full text of the letter addressed to
Secretary Wilson is as follows:
Hon. James Wilson. Secretary of
Agriculture. Washington, D. C.-Dear
sir: The California State Board of
Trade is an association of citizens of
the State of California. having for its
object the encouragement of the indus
trial interests Of the State. With this
object in view it solicits your interest
in a matter which. if intelligently car
t.
age of this State and to the United
States.
For the fiscal year ending June 30.
1896. there was imported into the
United States II 600 700 pounds of figs
valued at the port of export at S639-
5l2. a triffe over ; cents and 3 mills per
pound. This sum does not accurately
represent the value of the importation.
In October of each year nearly all OF
these figs are sold in the City of New
York: the report on commerce and nav
igatiOn showing that Of the amount
named as imported. 99S1,30l pounds
We're imported into that city. These
figs are sold at auction and the prices
realized are between Q and y cents
per pound Assuming that the average
sum paid was 10 cents per pound, the
amount paid to exporters in foreign
countries for figs averages about 81
300. GOO a year We undertake to show
you how this sum can be saved to the
people Of the United States.
1T is we'll understood that the major
portion of fig impOrtations come from
Turkey. The statistics of your depart
ment show that of the above-named
Importation 102S3. 906 pounds came
direct from Turkey in Asia and 1,236.-
7.4 pounds came from the United
Kingdom The trade understands
that the latter amount repre-
sents figs which went from Turkey TO
England and thence were exported to
the United States. These figs are
known as Smyrna figs and are the
standard fig of commerce. Their excel
lence consists in having a fertile seed
which imparts to the fruit a peculiar
fruity flavor, recognized by all con-
sumers of the fruit.
I'm 1880 there was imported from
Smyrna to this State by c.. P. Rixford,
a large number of cuttings Of the So
called Smyrna fig trees, which were
planted in different portions of the
State Much was expected of this inn
portation but none of the trees have
borne any fruit In the course of time
Professor Gustav Eisen Of the Academy
of Sciences announced the theory that
the Smyrna fig needed the Intervention
of wasp CBlastophoga psenes), to pol
lenate the female flowers of the edible
fig (icus caFica). The correctness OF
this theiry has received abundant proof
I'm this State In 1891 Professor Eisen
and Z. w Maslin, a member of this
board. who had a large plantation of
seeding Smyrna figs. discovered at
Niles. in Alameda County, wild fig
tree (1cus capri growing on plan
tation Of figs which grew from the Rix-
ford cuttings. These Capri figs con-
tained fully developed and abundant
pollen The pollen was transferred by
means of a quill toothpick to about
fifty figs growing on trees of the RiX-
ford importation, which for eight or
nine years and matured no edible
fruit. Every fig so pollenated matured
into an edible ffg-sweet, succulent and
bearing (so-called) fertile seed and
having the exact flavor of the imported
Smyrna fig. This experiment was tried
in several succeeding years with like
result.
In 1884 the seeds of imported
Smyrna commercial figs were planted
in Placer County by a member of this
board to the extent of twenty acres.
The plants therefrom grew into large.
vigorous trees and are still growing, but
up TO this time though bearing abund-
antly. the fruit is hybrid between
the Smyrna fig and the Capri fig and
falls 10 the ground. It has therefore
been accepted as a fact in this State
that neither the trees growing from
imported cuttings of the Smyrna fig
tree. nor the trees growing from seeds
of the imported Smyrna figs will pro-
duce mature edible fruit.
1T is now well understood that in
SMYRNA the commercial fig is not ma
tured without the aid of a wasp called
Plastophoga. The process by which the
edible fig (ficus carica) is matured is
called caprification. In few words
Il NAV be said that the edible fig bears
only female flowers. the wild fig (ficus
caprD. bears male flowers. The grow
ers in June or July hang among the
boughs of the edible ig a number or
the Capri fig from which proceed the
wasp. bearing the pollen from the male
flowers Of the Capri figs. Following
their instinct to lay their eggs they en-
ter the edible fig and finding no gall
flowers in which TO lay their eggs they
scatter the pollen from the Capri fg
over the stigma of the female flower
OF the Carica fig-the result being the
maturity of the edible hgs-all other
fgs not so fertilized falling to the
ground.
M Shinn of Niles, Alameda County,
and George c. Roeding of Fresno Coun-
~. have imported the Capri figs TO this
State, receiving them in June and
July. Upon opening the figs the Bias
tophoga We're found in abundance.
They seemed at once to grow rapidly
and We're very vigorous. but all efforts
TO induce them to enter either the figs,
Capri or Carica, We're fruitless.
1T must be understood that the Ca