The weekly true Democrat., 1908-08-14
Fias I'M Florida.

-balJlmOre ouns
FiGs In Florida.
The tree is a native of Western Asia,
spreading from there to Europe and the
New World. The fruit is simply the
flower, encased in a fieshy receptacle,
the inside containing the seed and
bloom.
There are many varieties, and, like
the apple, some are good and some not
80 good. The fruit, as it is called, is
one Of the most healthful known to man,
and can be eaten out Of hand, dried or
preserved. Besides, our Mother Eve
is credited with using the leaves to
make the first dress ever worn by man.
kind
Be that as it may, it should be far
more generally cultivated in the South
than it is. Being much more hardy than
the orange, it can be grown over a
much wider range Of latitude than any
Of the citrus fruits.
The climate Of Florida does not seem
adapted to drying the fruit for com
mercial purposes, as they do in Califor-
MIA, though / have dried the fruit quite
successfully for home use. But it can
be preserved and canned both for home
use and market. I don't know of any
reason why the fig should not be grown
in Florida successfully and prohtably
for canning and preserving purposes.
II is a fruit that is too much neglect
ed even for home use. Not one home in
a dozen IN Florida has any at all, and
not one in a hundred has enough for
home use. Oh, ye of the Flowery State,
how much have you lost of the enjoy
ment Of life by not giving more heed to
this health-giving fruit. You who have
never eaten the luscious White Adriatic
fig out of hand, fresh from the tree,
not to mention a liberal dish of them
with sugar and cream, are falling far
short Of the great privilege Florida
holds out to all her people, be they ever
so humble.
So many have told me they cannot get
them TO grow, and have tried so hard
too, and when / come TO look at them.
l find probably, but one little tree set
out in some obscure corner, with the
soil tramped hard all around it. No
wonder It don't grow; nothing else
would thrive under the same treatment.
There are some kinds Of fig that seem
to grow and yield fruit IN time, under
almost any kind of treatment, while
other kinds require some care. Those
that will thrive under almost any kind
of conditions are the Brown Turkey,
and Celestian. or Sugar figs Both are
small, but rich in sugar, easy TO dry or
preserve, and fine TO eat out of hand. Also
the White Marseilles and the Common
igr found growing in the fiatwoods, for
which / don't know any especial name
somewhat like the old woman's dog,
who, when asked of what breed he was,
replied, mot Of any particular breed,
lust dog" And it's the same Of this
fig, it is of no particular variety or
breed, Just fig. It is good to cook and
can, but never liked it to eat raw. IL
and the Marseilles look much alike, be-
ing Of a greenish yellow color, both Of
near the same size, but the Marseilles
is far and away the best fig. Now any
Of these four will give you figs with all
kinds Of neglect, but they will give you
more and far better fruit with care.
II you are going TO give the figs de-
cent show, as you would your orange
tree. then pluck out such varieties as
the White Adriatic, Brunswick, Black
lschia, Blue Geneva, and last, but not
least, the White Marseilles. These are
as fine fruit and good bearers, with
some care. But if you want fig that
fills this bill for fancy, both in looks and
in quality, give me the White Adriatic,
a large, greenish fruit on outside, but q
most beautiful pink inside and ''lus-
eious" doesn't near express its quality.
have known this fruit TO cure on the
tree. 1t is as sweet as preserve, but
q pleasant sweet, one that everybody
likes, and is firm for drying, canning or
preserving. But it is 50 good to eat
out of hand that it hardly ever gets to
the can or jar Don't plant it, how
ever, unless you are going to give 10
care and fertilizer.
The fg is a gross feeder and loves q
rich, moist soil-prefers the hammock,
but will grow on almost any.good, we'll
drained soil, or will even do well on
high, sandy land, with plenty Of water
and fertilizer, but you must remember
that it Il subject 10 rOOt-knot, 90 don't
nlant Il where you have been growing
eoW-peas or any Of the bean family.
Some recommend mulching, bat Am
rot satisfied IN my own mind aa 70 that.