St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-13
The Fig.

1t seems strange that with so
many men looking for good in
vestment, none of them have ap.
parently considered the golden pos
sibllities of the fig. In the first
place we import 10, 100000 pounds
annually from Turkey, paying over
ten cents pound for them, besides
the duty, and this amount does not
by any means supply the demand.
California has made many costly
experiments, but so far these have
been failures, owing to the fact that
the insect was lacking to fertiljze
the bloom.
Now. here in the lower Gull
States, we have several varieties
of figs that grow to perfection.
They are survivors of all the known
varieties that have at various times
been tried in the South, and can be
said to be fully acclimated and in
ured to the neglect and careless
culture accorded them in this sec.
ton. These are the Celestial: q
small brown fig, the Lemon, large
yellow fig, and the Brunswick, a
medium size purple fig. OF these
the Celestial IS for many reasons
the best; it is much the hardest oil
the three and although email, is very
sweet, and very profitable bearer.
The Lemon fig approaches nearer
in size and shape to the fig of COM
merce, but is tenderer and more
easily affected by the summer rains.
The Brunswick is shy bearer, and
is also tender.
What is to prevent growing these
figs in large quantities, evaporating
them and supplying part, if not the
whole demand for this fruit? The
trees grow rapidly, with very little
care; they begin to bear the Sec
ond or third year; they have no in
sect enemies, and as the area in
which they can be grown is limited
to the lower counties bordering
on the Gulf in Florida, Louisiana
and Texas, there would be very lit
tie competition IN selling them.
An acre would be ample room for
100 trees. These at maturity
would bear two to four bushels of
fruit; say an average Of tree; a
bushel of fresh fruit would weigh
sixty pounds, forty pounds OF
which would be lost in evaporating,
or sixty pounds OF dry fruit to the
tree. Six thousand pounds to the
acre, at 10 cents a pound, would be
5000 an acre, which is so high that
we could cut it down one-half and
still have a handsome yield for ten
acre orchard.
Besides being evaporated, they
make delightful marmalade rival.
ing guava marmalade in flavor, and
on account of its medical proper
ties, will always command a good
price.
The trees are tender for year
or two, but when fully matured
will stand cold down to ten degrees.
Itsseems all that is required is
small capital to put out. ten or
twenty acre orchard and an evapora-
tor to dry the fruit. The dried
fruit could be put up in attractive
packages and would find ready sale.
The estimates made above OF the
chances OF success, ale really short
of what have seen on trees a few
years ago.
Instead of trying to grow fruit
uneuited to soil and climate. why
not turn our attention to those kinds
which are an assured success with
us? The fig stands at the head OF
the llst.-J. H. Girardeau, in
Farmer and Fruit Grower.
Figs thrive we'll in St. Tammany
Parish, being a never failing crop,
and cuttings can be set out as late
as the middle of June, to ineure
good results.
Gen. A. S. Badger, United
States Appraiser of the port of
New Orleans, and for many years
prominent In the political history
Of the city, died last Tuesday