The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-05
Grapes, Figs and Persimmons.
Paper P J. WEsrER Before Florida Society,"
May 15 1907.

limited experienced. SO far, the most
promising varieties.
The ancestors to Our cultivated
grapes are indigenous to temperate
climates, and their descendants have
all been accustomed ito a resting season
in the winter. For plants of this
chara cter, the winters i'm South Florida
are hardly cool enough for plants
adapted to a colder climate, and it ap-
pears as if the introduced vines die
not quite know whether to grow on
not, throwing Out feeble growths nov
and then and not ripening the wood
properly.
There are frequently found vigorous
wild vines in the llammocks that bea1
fairly good-sized punches of very
palatable grapes. [ have, during the
past two seasons, noted three vines
that look very promising and are ap-
parently immune to the two diseases
above mentioned. In THE interest oil
every grape lover in the State l would
TASK that any one who knows of such
vines would try to get cuttings ar1c
try hybrldizing these with either Cali
fornia or Eastern grapes. We might
in this way, find a variety more wholly
adapted ito our climatic conditions
than an introduced grape. I am par
ticularly interested in the Improvement
of the grape by means of hybridizing
and crossing, and world be glad tc
receive communications from those &C
quainted with wild promising wines.
In looking up the figs, I find that
i'm the upper end of the county (Dade)
trees that had been planted eight OF
more years ago had made good
growth the first few years, but later
died back or are doing poorly. The
cause has generally been ascribed tc
the presence of nematodes. While this
may be THE cause in some instances
believe that improper treatment is
the cause in Others. In still Others,
that they are planted in an unsuitable
location. In Miami there were young
trees planted in 1908 that now stand
1912 feet high with "a spread of 10
feet that last year bore we'll and look
very promising These trees have re-
ceived good attention. The fact that
these trees are doing we'll and THAT
THE fig does well further up the State
seems to prove that the fault does
llOI III NIICllSl WILL ulIN 1ISllIopONN.
which are well distributed throughout
the Southern States where the fig is
we'll established and yearly gives good
crops. Fig culture is with It's very
much in the experimental stage, and
there is apparently considerable differ
ence in THE adaptability of the differ
emit varieties. The fig will hardly at
tain commercial Importance on the low
er east coast in competition with CT
trus and tropical fruits, but there is
nothing more delicious than well
ripened fig or preserves made from
it, and every family ought to have a
few trees for home consumption.
A year ago THE Subtropical Labora-
tory received a consignment of capri
figs from California, through the De-
partment Of Agriculture, of which
some varieties did very we'll last year
when the freeze of last winter killed
NEARLY all to the ground. They have
sprouted, however, very we'll and are
making rapid growth. The fruits o.
these figs are not edible, but the plants
are necessary for the Dropag CATION
Of the Blastophaga, which again is
necessary in the caprifcation Of the
Smyrna figs. Later ON, when the capri
figs are we'll established, Smyrna figs
will bic tried and Blastophagas intro
duced from California where this insecI
is we'll distributed in the fig region
The progress Of this experiment viii
be watched with much interest.
Persimmons can scarcely be said tc
have had trial in the lower east coast
l have seen remains of trees that were
planted several years ago, but I ar