The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 11, 1900, Page 18

18 SMYRNA FIGS RELATIVE S1ZES oOF MATURE PQLLINATED AND ONPOLLINATED FRO\T. tle knots, or nu p and falls off. ction of the fly me to Mr. Roeding intments. He first be- sa: be 3 rts were made to Install ri fig trees, but they also DECTION OF Chese latter arrived from April 1 to the 15th, and the batch comprised thirty figs in all. These were hung in the capri trees shown In the photographs and in a num- ber of other capri trees, but the flies pro- pagated only in two figs; they came out from June 15 to July 1, and forthwith en- tered other figs. The process was re- cated, and in November a fourth genera- tion of the files appeared, coming out of »ver 100 figs. They entered new figs, with the result that over 500 capri figs became blow 1 the files, and the transplanta- ction of the species became ed success, capri fig tree and the Smyrna fig tree are two different species. The capri s a wild fig growing In the mountains of the Turkish fig-growing country, and is not it for food. It stands to the Smyrna fig In the relation of male to female. Both B O Ags are hollow inflorescences, the greater part of the bulb, hypanthodium, being Jined with flowers. These flowers in both the capri and the Smyrna are male and female. The female flowers occupy the larger space, reaching from higher than midway the protuberanc® down toward the stem, while the male flowérs occupy a narrow zone about the orifice or eve at the bulged end of the fruit. opposite the stem. When the female flowers are ripe this eye opens. It is then that the f which has simultaneously with the ripe Ing of the female flowers escaped there- from, where it was deposited as an egg by its parent, makes its way out of the capri fig and passing through the eye scrapes the male flowers and carries away a quantity of their pollen. Once into the outer world the fly hastens to an- to Mr. Roeding from that 2 Koebele intimated that he ex- the files to fafl, stating that he be- that each variety of ficus had its Jecies of blastophagus, and that it ng wished to succeed he would bave to import flies from the district from which his trees came. 5 consignments of blown capri recelved from Smyrna, sent by Mr. De wich of that place. They ar- rived the winter season and too early to accomplish any results. In 1888 Mr, Swingle sent his consignments. ‘He wrap- ped his figs in tin fofl, each fig separately. The first consignment failed to establish themselves, but the next was suoccessful. figs we WEELY oo PHOTOGRAPHED FEMALE | FRomM MICRoSCOPE BLASTOPHAGU S MTH TRANSHITTED MUCH ENLARGED THE SUNDAY CALL. other fig and, although the fruit may be very smail, works Its way in through the eve, and finding the new female flower rein deposits its eggs one in each flow- er, and dfes. Thus the capri figs are really little fruits filled with flies. One fig will contain over a thousand of the things and will be sufficient to furnish files for a whole tree of figs. The fig growe however, do not suffer all the flles to re-enter capri figs. They cut figs from capri trees and put- ting a fig on each end of‘a stick they lodge it In a Smyrna fig tree. When the fly emerges from its habitat on the end of a stick it searches for a fig. The Smyrnas are the only ones about and these it en- ters, bearing on its back the pollen from the male flowers of the capri fig. This im. pregnates the female flowers of the Smyr- na, then ready to receive it, whereupon the fly dies within the fig. The female flowers then grow with wonderful rapid- ity, becoming julcy as they enlarge and developing an embryo which gives the Bwmyrng when dried that delicicus and CAPRI FIG TRE cazARxNG G ONTAINING |NSECTS WINTERING UNBER covers flavor which so characterizes It 1l other varieties of figs. It is be- the other figs do not have thése em- bryo that they are lacking in taste, for when these are examined it is noted that the seeds are hollow and the fig has a flat taste, whereas in the Smyrna the seeds are solid. It is therefore as a con- veyer of pollen that the blastophagus Is ¥ to the fig grower, And with- out it some years of effort have demon- ted in California that the Smyrna cannot be produced. re is now In California on the Roed Ing ranch elghty caprl fig trces and 4200 Smyrna fig trees, besides other small or- chards in several localitles. The trees on the Reeding ranch were brought from Smyrna in 1536 by W. C. West, foreman of the ranch, who was sent to Asia for that purpose. They were procured there with extreme difficulty, the growers, learning that Mr. West was from California, re- fusing to sell him any on the ground that California might, if the fig were trans- planted, come to be a competitor In the world’s markets with Smyrna. The cut- tings were therefore procured by strat- egy. A resident was engaged to buy them which, after much difficulty, was done, the plants being shipped out of the coun- try billed as licorice roots, the rallroad company refusing to take them under any other label. After the cuttings had got clear of the Turkish boundaries the Oriental Advertiser, published in Con- stantinople, in its issue of December 18, 1886, printed an article deeply deploring the fact that the cuttings had been per- mitted to get away and declaring its hope that “the fig may not take in California, though the chance is very slight. If it does, however, America will supply the European market with better ‘eleme’ above cau than Smyrna ever produced. Anothey matter which should not be forgotten is that American machinery will no doubt take the place of manual labor in packing The prospect of losing the fig t sad one and should provide food for re- flection to all who live by its product in Asia Minor.” The prediction of this writer may never be fulfilled to the extent of California ruining the Industry of Smyrra, but cer tainly this State will shortlr enter the markets of the world with an excellent product®of figs. A few were pollenated on Mr. Roeding's trees during the pas* season and they developed into large and ade is a beautiful fruit, dried well and carried ths true Smyrna flavor. Prior to this Mr.! Roeding had been able to obtain only a dozen or so of these perfected flgs by introducing pollen from the capri Into them with a toothpick: figs treated in this manner, however, matured Into fleshy and full-flavored fruit, thus demonstrat. ing the utility and need of the wasp, a fact ‘which, since other varieties of the fig matured here without it, was for a long time disputed in California. Even with the varieties of fig now grown in the State, embracing white and dark specles, the growers have built up a considerable trade. It may be expected, however, that this will not advance after the Smyrna gets well upon the market. It would seem that the California packed figs would find a preference in the market to the boxed SECTIioN OoF POLLINATED AN UNPOLLINATE SMYRNA Rigs Amutic product. The latter, after being takem from the trees, are pulled in the hands in process of manipulation by the packers, who dip their hands in salt water during the operation. As these packers Are Turks of a very e, the peo- ut the Aidin Valley, the e figs grown, taboo d eat the crated or un- lacoom, and apes ocally known a pulled figs, which are packed In bag It is probable t the great Sm section of California be the San Joa e vall and climate that of the 1 sandy and the s hot Only one crop ly. These App June, are fert n July and mat their f gust 1 to October 1 The fig Ir now that may be tarted, promises gald to be one of the nia, rar The fig Is the with t tion there mus a very much anded JOHN Cutting Iron by Electricity. The application of the electric arc to welding purposes, by which large, heavy bars of iron or copper may be jo most instantly, has made familiar the re- markability of its heating power. It was er this Invention before the red al- not long a possibility * safety vaults, by means of was widely cussed. Th bt tha 13 per- tectly feasible of course, a suf- fictently powerful electric ct 1s avail- able. Something on jhe same line, in which, however, the arc 1s applied to more law tried on cutting of I-beams, In repalr place of the tediously slow method of cut- ting them with a métal saw. The I-beams in this instance were l4-inch girders, ha ick. The work was fn connection with some repairs to the Corn k in Chicago. There were six of these beams to be cut through and the work was actually accomplished in about three and a half hours. s in springing a pow- he beam to be melted through and a large solid carbon elec- trode. The are is nothing but a huge elec- tric spark ent jumping from the carbon to the iron. This are 1s produced by first placing the large car- bon pencil, which is con minal of a suita ing a web one inc sed by the cu ed to one ter- mo by means of CAPRIEIG ONE THIRS LARGER THANM ACTUAL SIZE THEOREICE INCENTER IS THE EYE THROLGW QVHICH THE ELIES BEScAPE. copper wires, In contact with the girder, which is similarly connected to the other dynamo tertninal, at the point where it is to be melted through, and gradually w drawing the earbon. The hands and bo of the operatbr are protected from the | tense heat by an asbestos shield glasses are also necessary to prevent Jury to the eyes from the dazzling glare. It is estimated that the temoerature of the arc thus produced is about 15000 de- grees Centigrade. By this metod it re- quired less than half a minute to burn & hole through the solid inch of wrought- fron forming the web of the girder.