Except in the most favored localities in the Southern States and
California, these are the uses to which American-grown figs must be
devoted. To produce fruit suitable for these purposes, freedom from
fogs, from summer rains, and from spring frosts is essential. If there
is a choice of locality, a warm southern or eastern exposure is to be
preferred. The soil should be well drained, never swampy, and the
locality should not be exposed to heavy winds. Elevated bottom lands or
benches along creeks are the most favorable localities for figs. Large
plains, swampy places, or exposed hillsides are all unfavorable. The
nearer the conditions approach those of the Smyrna region the better.
Rains during the fruiting season are frequently injurious to figs,
causing them to crack and sour. Still, the fruit may be profitably grown
where moderate summer rains occur.