10 Addisonia 



Mexico. The plant thrives equally well from near sea level to several 

 thousand feet altitude, and grows both on dry hillsides and in swamps. 

 However, it prefers moderately moist soil, growing both in woods 

 and in the open, where, especially in old fields, it often forms thickets 

 as a result of its stolonifcrous habit. The persimmon grows naturally 

 in the vicinity of the New York Botanical Garden. The accompany- 

 ing illustration was made from trees planted in the Garden. 



The common persimmon, also known popularly as date-plum, 

 possum-wood, and 'simmon, has some relatives in the West Indies, 

 but the genus is most abundantly developed in Asia, where the heart- 

 wood of several species furnishes the well-known ebony of commerce. 



The history of the persimmon begins in the earlier part of the cen- 

 tury following the discovery of the New World, and the tree was 

 introduced into European gardens in the earlier part of the seventeenth 

 century, if not previous to it. It was apparently first mentioned in 

 print about the middle of the sixteenth century in an account of De 

 Soto's expedition in Florida, and after that there appeared numerous 

 descriptions of the persimmon in European literature. 



On account of its beauty and adaptability to various soils, and also 

 because of its resistance to disease and immunity from disfiguring 

 insects, the persimmon is a tree desirable for ornament. The deep- 

 green glossy leaves make it conspicuous in the summer, while the 

 orange-colored fruits, especially at the north,add much color in the fall. 



The early Spanish expeditioners in Florida became acquainted 

 with the persimmon through the Indians, who used both the fresh 

 and dried fruits as food. Since then it has remained a source of food 

 for both the white man and the negro, and its deserved popularity 

 has carried it into proverbs and poetry. 



The bark and the wood are useful as well as the fruits. The latter 

 are well known on account of the tannin they contain when green. 

 At maturity this disappears, and so much sugar develops that the 

 fruits decay very slowly, if at all. They sometimes hang on the trees 

 all through the winter; thus partly dried, when foods are scarce, they 

 constitute a temptation and a decoy for various wild animals when 

 man is in search of animal food or "sport." Man and also domestic 

 animals are fond of the fruits; but the natm-al supply is not conserved 

 as it should be, nor is the tree cultivated to the extent its ornamental 

 and economic possibilities demand. John K. Small,. 



Explanation op Plate. Fig. 1. — Fruiting branch. Fig. 2. — Seed. Fig. 

 3. — Staminate flowers. Fig. 4. — Portion of staminate flower, showing stamens, 

 X 3. Fig. 5. — Pistillate flower. Fig. 6. — Portion of pistillate flower, showing 

 pistil and rudimentary stamen, X 3. 



