The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-03
SECRET OF GROWING THE FIG.
NEW FRUIT INDUSTRY MADE pos
SIBLE IN CALIFORNIA.
A Government Expert believes That Bet,,,
Figs Than the smyrna Product Can "a.
Raised Hcre Insect Needed
tempts TO Grow sm,r na Fiss Here

''tb y un IN
Raised Here The Insect Needed Al.
tenpts 10 Grow SIN, rna Fiss Here
An article In the recently issued wear booL
Of the Department Of Agriculture dis.
| cusscs the possibility Of growing the Smvr,.o
fig Ia the Southwestern States. The aurhor
In L.. o. Howard, who explains at the start
that he ~ an entomologist is able to hs:.dla
the subject, because the Smyrna fig In.
dustry In this country has 40 far been very
largely an chronological problem.
The fig tree grows all through tho South
and California, having been introduced
by the early Spanish and French settlers.
Even a. far north rs New York the fp tree
has been cultivated with some success
In the last twenty years a considerable
effort has been made TO produce a salabls
fig in California, but the growers hive
never been able TO compete successfully
with the foreign fig.
In 1880 and 1882 Julian p. Rixford q,
San Francisco imported l4,OC0 cuttings o,
what were supposed 10 be the best varieties
Of Smyrna fig trees. When the trees came
into bearing the figs invariably dropped
on before they were much larger thar mar.
bles. The explanation OF the matter was
that the Smyrna growers who sold the cut
tings feared competition aud had sent
worthless varieties.
In 1886 F.. Roeding, a San Francisco
banker, and owner OF a fruit farm at Fresno.
sent his foreman. W. c. West, to SMYRNA To
get frst-hand information. Mr.. West came
back with several thousand cuttings, not
only OF the Smyrna fig tree, but also Of the
wild fg tree. or Capri fg. The importa-
ton OF the Capri fig was due 70 the terdv
recognition Of the fact that the SMYRNA
FIX owes ts peculiar ave to the number
Of ripe seeds II contains, and these ripe
seeds are to be gained only by the ~fertiliza-
ton OF the flowers Of the SMYRNA fig with
pollen from the wild fig, or Capri fig.
From time immemorial, DR.. Howard
says, il has been the custom of the natives
Of the Orient to break of the fruits Of the
wild fg and tie them to the limbs Of the
edible fg trees. The reason for this prac-
tice is curious. The Capri figs contain a
minute insect, which, covered with pollen,
crawls into the flower receptaclcs Of the
edible or Smyrna fig, fertillzes them and
thus produces a crop OF seeds and brings
about the subsequent ripening Of the fruit.
The little fig insects are known a. Bias
tophagas.
The introduction Of the fg insects here
was frst undertaken in 1891 by private
enterprise. In 1907. after several attempt,
had met with little SUCCESS, the Department
Of Agriculture made an attempt TO import
them. DR.. Howard had charge Of the
enterprise o this side of the ocean. W I.
Swingle. a botanist Of the department,
was then in Europe and he was chosen %
send some caprifgs from Naples. Tie
sent his first shipment in 1898, packing the
caprifgs with extraordinary care Little
- 49, 18Th chin
ment Wa made in 1899.
From this in Mr.. Roeding's orchard at
Fresno some very promising results came
and last year more than six tons OF driet
figs were put up in boxes from the Fresno
orchard. OF the quality Of these figs DR..
Howard saws:
Chemical analysis made by Prof. Hill
gard Of the University Of California. showed
hat figs submitted TO him by Mr.. Roedns
contained I.E2 per cent. more c'ige: than
the best imported. Smyrna figs. Samples
which the writer has reoeived are Of ex-
ceptional edibility. The flavor is delicious
and precisely comparable TO that OF the
imported figs. except for the lack OF the
slight acidity noticed in those ordinarily
bought on the market. which N OF a
grocer TO whom the writer has shown
samples speak with strong approval ~
their quality. and there seems little doubt
that a great and profitable trade in fg'
o. this grade can readily be gained In the
United States"
There IL little doubt, according TO DR..
Howard, that many persons In California
will 400 starr orchards OF Smyrna fig
trees. and that the same holds good Of fruit
growing regions in New Mexico, Arizona
and Texas. AZ for rover in other parts
OF the country DR.. Howard says they should
proceed slowly. az the test hHs 80 far been
made only in a dry and warm climate.
The annual output 81 the Smyrna NC u
estimated 10 he from 1900 TO 1900 tors.
The figs sell at Wholesale in the New YORK
markets at from 10 to 20 cents a pound.
The ordinary American fig never hrlrys
moro than % cents for a ~ten-pound box.
and when the Smyrna figs are IN sehon
the American product usually gofr begcilR;
A new industry, therefore. will he afforded
TO Americans II tho attempt 60 grow
point DIR. Howard saws
In 1904 we imported IS. eco. 6O4 pounds
OF snyrna hg-, the valuation ~ wiHH
was taas .ssi. After IN adoption ~ 'H'
tsrnn law 81 1897. which fixed an import
duty of 2 cents per pound, shipment -
this country decreased. and the lmpHi'a-
tons for lses amounted Ia 90? Sax pounds,
the valuation 81 which wac tJN2, 80 lN-
following year We imported tdH'f'
pounds, "a the valuation was t'u4.N'1
u aeeins very probable that iu ihr n'.r
these lmportatiOns will pfa'i"dlF
he stopped, as our whole cuuLtrN wu %
supplied with homegrown dric' FIX
But this feature by no means r.IunTf'-
AL the possibilities ~ the Industry Anna
~ll oomiets with the MeditorfaurtI u.
Tries in the open markets ~ che Won
The ohAractsf o. the product 'srH ~ ''
hnt ysArs crop, shove u g. h. -lI" 2
the Oriental produrt, huth fnHm '
cal analysis aud from .hTsu opinion lfr
T~"fienoe gained the wear Assurs- O. r.H
better result heat yesL Iui r"tH hF
Ia the qualify gf Tie NlHf NHHf|f .. 10
methods ~ frying aud packing asI
duoinf an atiractive proiu't ~ ''r N. .
& l"auline-s Ia parking prrNrnu.H
souns 90 Often fuInf
snyuna hss and ut.rf 30
Iruluts MI H. carefully httsudr
American pankus A. pfu-rUt I
ly 90 iasagf uhuush iI-ss
shfnfniA o. hnng alaput tho u.
Dc rshi sausilss oil ls plant.
.Auusapds dupIss tho upna Er.