Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-06
HOMEGROWN Figs to
Meet Domestic Needs

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. At is
likely that before many years the $1,000, 900
or 100000 pounds of figs annually i'm
ported from Smyrna will be supplanted by
the homegrown product, says the United
States department of agriculture in bulletin
T32, recently issued. The area in the south
western states and in California is equally
as well adapted to the fig industry. the
bulletin adds, as is the Meander valley of
Asia Minor, and is more than extensive
enough to produce many times the quantity
imported into this country. The annual pro-
duction of Smyrna figs in California, which
is almost the total yield of this country,
is not far from 1000 tons, but within
Few years the. production likely will be in
creased, fer it is estimated that since the
importatlOns were cut off as a result of
the war 10000 acres Of Smyrna fig trees
have been planted in the central San
Joaquin valley. When these large paintings
dependent of importatiOns of this most
wholesome sugar-saving fruit, and, il is be
Iieyed, dried figs by the carload will he as
evident in commercial movements as raisins
are at the present time.
Two kinds Of cultivated figs are com
monty grown IN this country, the caprified
or Smyrna figs and the common cultivated
figs which do not require caprificaticn.
Until recent years only varieties of the latter
kind were successfully grown in America.
The figs of the Smyrna tyne do not set
fruit unless the flowers are pOllinated: that
is, unless the figs, when setting. capri
fled, and this necessitates the simultaneous
culture of the caprifig, the male form of
the species, which harbors the fig insect
and bears the pollen necessary to fertilize
figs of the SMYRNA tyne.
About cne-third of the prodU Ction of figs
in Calf. rnia Is Of the Smyrna type and the
remainder chiefly Adriatic and Mission, hut
the aforementioned type are being planted
almost exclusively now. One prominent Cal
ifornia grower who has orchards of both
Smyrna and Adriatic figs finds that by a
liberal supply Of caprifigS he gets a ton 20
the acre more from the Smyrna than from
the other variety. while the former sells
for about double the price of the latter.
fOur-year-Old Smyrna FIG orchard should
produce sufficient fruit TO pay all the ex-
penses Of cultivation, and from that time
will yield increasing profits indefinitely,
according to the bulletin.
From Investigations conducted by the
United States department of agriculture il
is apparent that there exists no climatic
obstacle to the growing Of SMYRNA figs In
the southern states. Experiments. however,
must he carried on for a period of years he
fore IL can he certain that the fig insect
viii perpet,rate itself I'm this region. More
over the production of dry FIGS, the form
in which the SMYRNA fig is chiefly marketed,
will always he limited TO regions practically
rainless at the time fruit is maturing. 1t
is possible. however. that figs IF the Smyrna
type may he successfully grown in she
southeastern states for marketing In the
fresh state. Many varieties of Adriatic
figs are already successfully cultivated
throughout the great coastal plain from
Texas to the Carolinas. chiefly for home
The Smyrna fig which Is now gaining such
favor on the Pacific coast, is equally as
frNst-reSiStnnt as most of the varieties now
successfully grcwn in the southern states.