[sci.bio] Can you neuter a tree?

frazier@oahu.cs.ucla.edu (Greg Frazier) (09/06/89)

Hello, Everybody.
	I have a rather odd question.  We have what
looks like some sort of wild fig tree growing in our
appartment complex.  The fruit is a small oblong, about
2" in diameter, and is green or yellow-red while on
the tree.  The leaves are oval and about 6"-8" long.
When the birds drop the fruit onto the patio/deck, they
get soft and are quite disgusting to step on.

The question:  is there some way to "neuter" this tree
so that it no longer produces fruit?  I had never heard
of such a thing until somebody who knows absolutely
nothing about the subject said he had "heard" of it
being done.  So, tell me, can it be done, and if so,
how?

Thank you,
Greg Frazier
((((((((((((((((###################)))))))))))))))))))
Greg Frazier				"No, she can't do long division yet -
CS dept., UCLA				we're currently concentrating on
Internet: frazier@CS.UCLA.EDU		set theory..."          o_
UUCP: ...!{ucbvax,rutgers}!ucla-cs!frazier		 "gah!" / L

mcdonald@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu (09/12/89)

/* ---------- "Can you neuter a tree?" ---------- */

Cut it down with a chainsaw.  Someday (i.e. the day I win the Nobel
Prize) I going to do that to the Ginko outside my lab.

Doug McDonald

robert@blake.acs.washington.edu (Gedankenleere) (09/13/89)

Sure! Cut it down.