126 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



flowers were also borne in large numbers and, as ex- 

 pected, the tree set a very heavy crop of fruit. 



A note calling attention to these flowers and their 

 possible value was published in Science.^ The only cer- 

 tain reference to the staminate flowers of D. Kaki in 

 American literature previous to this, by one acquainted 

 wdth them, is by Berckmans,^ who mentioned the occur- 

 rence of staminate flowers on young trees, but did not 

 describe them and apparently attached no importance 

 to their presence. Watts^ may have seen them, but he 

 leaves us in doubt. In describing the flowers of D. Kaki 

 he says, ''The flowers are inconspicuous, whitish green; 

 the peduncles are usually three flow^ered. The flowers 

 are complete, but all varieties are not equally self fer- 

 tile. " He makes no mention of the pistillate flowers, 

 which are produced singly, and if by complete he meant 

 that the flowers contained pistils and pollen bearing 

 stamens, his observation was unusual, for perfect flowers 

 are very scarce. 



In European literature, the staminate flowers are de- 

 scribed by Hiern,^ Naudin^ and Carriere^ and mentioned 

 by other writers. 



In the spring of 1910, though a thorough examination 

 of the same tree of "Taber's No. 23" was made, not a 

 single staminate flow^er could be found. On younger trees 

 of the same and of other varieties, however, they were 

 found. The examination of trees, while in bloom, was 

 continued through the blooming seasons of 1911, 1912, 



' Hume, H. Harold. Non-fruiting of Japan Persimmons due to lack 

 of Pollen. Science, N. S., Vol. XXX., No. 766, Sept. 3, p. 308-309. 1909. 



" Berckmans, P. J. Persimmons. Cyclopedia American Horticul- 

 ture, 3: 1281. 1901. 



'Watts, R. L. Persimmons, University of Tennessee Agr. Exp. Sta- 

 tion, Bulletin, Vol. XL, No. 1, Apr., p. 204. 1899. 



^Hiern, W. P. A monograph of Ebenaceae. Transactions Cam- 

 bridge Philosophical Society XII, Part 1, p. 227. 1872. 



' Naudin, M. Ch. Quelques Remarques an sujet des Plaqueminiers 

 (Diospyros) cultives a 1' air libre dans les Jardins de L'Europe. Nou- 

 velles archives du museum D' Histoire Naturelle 2" ser 3. 224. 1880. 



•Carriere, E. A. Revue Horticole. 253-258, Plate, p. 254. 1872. 



