Well fellows:
I have a new wife, a place to keep up and more figs than I can shake a stick at. 
I can see now that I am going to have to limit the number of figs that I have. 

Criteria will be productivity, size, sweetness and flavor.  This just about rules out Hardy Chicago and Celeste. 

So far my Texas Everbearing, Bayernfeige Violetta, Kadota and the two local unknowns are ahead of the pack.  Both the B. Violetta and the Tx Everbearing  are producing figs two inches across and sweet as sugar.  The Violetta when it is barely ripe seems as sweet as a dead-ripe Tx. E.   The Red Italian is right in there with them.

The Texas Everbearing and the Violetta are also earlier this year than the others.

If you were limited to ten trees in pots and five in the ground, which would you keep?

Ciao Ox,  congratulations on your new wife, I am so happy that it worked out well for you and wish you all the luck and best health and happiness. Ciao, Maggie

The new wife is sweeter than any fig, I'd make sure to keep her.  Congrats!

Maybe for the sake of ease you should keep only figs that you can put in the ground? If you have the room that is. If you don't have the room...make some. It would be easier to just put your hardiest figs in the ground and forget about them until its harvest time.

Regarding figs, I wish I had the experience to make a recommendation--but I don't. Maybe Georgiafig's hedge suggestion might give you a few more options.

Regarding your new wife, I'll second Andrew's comment!

The new wife should probably not be in-ground or in-pot.

LOL;
Thanks all for the congratulations and the advice.  No Jon, I want to keep the wife in the house, neither potted nor grounded.

The fact is though, I have come to the conclusion that collecting figs and keeping figs for their value are two different things, and I prefer keeping them for their value. 

All agriculturists must choose crops that are suited to their climate, that produce well under management that can be provided and that have value.  Here I can grow only the hardiest figs.  None can be left unprotected in winter.  This means that I must cut them back each fall, cover them somehow and tend them again in the spring.  I can put them in the ground only in sheltered locations where I can cover them and assure their survival. 

Productivity requires that they come out quickly in the spring, set good fruit crops, and have fruit large enough and tasty enough to be useful.  If I have two trees that set twenty pounds of equally tasty fruit each, I would prefer the one with the largest fruit.  If two trees are equal, I would prefer the one with a closed eye.  If two trees are equal (personal taste here) I would prefer the one with dark fruit. 

I have Celeste because it is supposedly the gold standard for cold hardiness.  On the other hand, Plattner claims their Bayernfeige Violetta to be the champion in cold hardiness.  Between the two, and in my opinion, the Violetta is by far the better fig,

I'd like your opinions on these matters.  I am inexperienced fig culture and would value the thoughts of those of you who have had figs for many years.
Ox

Hi Ox and congratulations on your new wife. I would like to get in line for any fig trees that you would like to get rid of. E-mail me your list and the cost you would like . If you let her taste the figs she might make you keep all of them. Best of luck to you and your new wife...
Debbie

Ox, have you tried growing Desert King or Grantham's Royal ? I know for sure DK is hardy here in southern B.Columbia, Canada. It is a big
fig(like 110g) and the taste is good and gives a bountiful harvest. It is the most reliable fig here as it delivers yr after year.

Ox, Wish I could help, but we just don't share anything in climate. All the best in trying to thin the herd.

Something you might like to consider in evaluating your figs. Year to
year climate changes can affect any year's figs such as taste and
production. You might want to trial them for a few years before making
your choice.

Peg

Maybe as a bargaining point, you could ad a new wife for each fig you have to net rid of.

You guys just CANNOT be serioux, can you!!!!!   LOL, a new wife?  I had the old one for over 47 years and this one says she is not going anywhere so long as I follow directions.

Debbie:  Most of the trees are so large that it would cost a fortune to ship them.  If you'd like cuttings this fall let me know.

Paully; I do not have Desert King but I do have Grantham's Royal.  The G R has not set fruit but has grown from an eighteen inch plant to close to five feet this year.  Last week I cut all the leaves but the top cluster from two of its branches so that I could test THAT theory.  We'll know in a couple of weeks if it will set fruit, but I do not think figs started in mid to late August will fully ripen here.  Last year that little tree set one fig, a really nice large one. 

Peg; you are correct of course.  I may abandon all but one of the small-fruited figs, but I will give them all a chance.  What is disappointing to me is that I have two local unknowns that are near the top of the list. I really would like to know what I have when they are hat good. 

I'd also like a fig to be early-ripening, too.  So far the Texas Everbearing and the Violetta are ahead of the pack, but the local unknowns and Red Italian are in there close.  Celeste and the Joe Morle Paradiso, in the ground, are going to be late.  Same with the Black #1.

Jon:  Do potted figs in full sun have any advantage, specifically as to early-ripening, over figs in full sun in the ground? 
Ox