Washington County News | 1930-03-27 | Page 7 | Pollination by Wasps Saved California Figs

Pollination by Wasps Saved California Figt The California fig crop was saved by the action of a Fresno farmer who had laid out a GO acre fig orchard and who was unable to gather a crop. The trees had ail the appearance of health but the fruit failed to properly develop. George C. Roeding was in this predicament predica-ment and to solve his difficulty he made a trip to Smyrna. He found that it was the custom of the growers there to gather wormy fruit from the wild fig trees and hang it among the cultivated culti-vated trees. Little wasps from the wormy fruit were essential to pollinate the cultivated orchard. He Imported some of the wild trees and went through the same procedure and the effect upon his orchard was magical. The result is that the fig-growing Industry In-dustry is now an Important one.