162 American HorticuHurul Society. 



THE PERSIMMON. {Diospyros Virginuma.) 



Hero is another native fruit, probably of even greater promise than the 

 pajtaw, which still remains neglected. It has almost or quite sis great nat- 

 ural lendoncies to variation as the papaw, and the further assurance only 

 recently made evident through the introduction, into the south, of its Asiatic 

 relative, the Japan persimmon, that it is susceptible of a high degree of im- 

 provement. Many of us have already been ajjsurcd.by personal observation, 

 how wonderfully this Asiatic species has been jierfoctcd through the long 

 ages in which it has been subjected to improvement. Unfortunately, this 

 species is only hardy in the semi -tropic regions of the United States. But 

 in our native species we have every assurance that it may be equally im- 

 proved, and that it may be adapted to culture in all central, if not in north- 

 ern sections of our country. Central Indiana is about the northern limit of 

 the native persimmon, though it is possible to cultivate it wherever the 

 hardier varieties of the peach will succeed. In some of the southern states 

 it forms a staple article of food for man and beast. \ writer, in speaking 

 of "persimmons in Arkansas," has said that there " all living creatures re- 

 joice and grow fat when the persimmons ripen." Our native persimmon is 

 said to hybridize freely with the Japanese species, in the south, and that al- 

 ready many varieties of great promise have in this way been produced. If 

 this be really true, we may yet hope, by the infusion of this foreign l)Iood, to 

 secure ollspring which will combine hardiness of tree with the improved 

 qualities of the introduced species. 



THE SERVICE-15ERRY. {Amoianchier Canadensis.) 



Dr. Asa Gray enumerates several sub-species of the service, or June- 

 berry, as it is sometimes called. The one native to central Indiana is the 

 arborescent, or tree-like form, readily recognized in early spring by its pro- 

 fusion of white flowers, and later by the swarms of robbins and boys that 

 resort to its branches for its pleasant, agreeable and handsome fruit. I am 

 not aware that any eflbrt has been made to improve this fruit by cultiva- 

 tion. The dwarf forms, of which there are several, I believe, are not natives, 

 especially in central Indiana, if, indeed, in any portion of the state. Some 

 of these, however, have been cultivated, and at lejist partially improved. 

 Hon. H. E. Van Dcman, United States Pomologist, has cultivated a variety 

 ut his former home, in Kansas, which he speaks highly of as a valuable 

 small fruit. Our native service, the tree-like form, is worthy of a place on 

 the lawn, as a handsome ornamental tree, if not on account of its fruit. Let 

 us give it a trial and see if we can not afford to adopt it into our fruit 

 gardens. 



THE HUCKLEBERRY. (Wtccinium.) 



Notwithstanding Mr. A. S. Fuller, in his treaties on small fruits, written 

 more than twenty yenrs ago, devotes a chapter to the huckleberric-. of which 

 several species are native in diilV*rent parts of our connlry. .uid in \\ hw h he, 



