THE ANNUAL MEETING. 177 



White Ami Arbor, 



One of Mr. C. II. Woodruff's seedlings, has fruited again this year, and speci- 

 mens were shown at the recent session of the American Pomological Society at 

 Boston ; but unfortunately they had been picked two or more weeks before the 

 time of exhibition, and as they had apparently been kept in an open, dry atmos- 

 phere, they were in very bad condition for exhibition. They however gave 

 indications of fair quality, and the color is very attractive. The originator 

 represents it to be hardy, vigorous, very early and of superior quality. 



IIarriso)i, 



Which we understand to bo the variety shown at Boston as Woodruff's No. 2, is 

 a promising black grape of the character of Concord, but larger in both berry 

 and bunch, and a week earlier as stated by the originator. 



A Seedling Blach Grape 



Was received on August 32d from H. J. Ray, Watervliet, Berrien county, which 

 was then over-ripe and somewhat shriveled. Mr. Ray stated that those sent 

 were the least mature ones, and that they had been ripe since the 12th of 

 August, The berries, although shriveled, still adhered to the bunch, which is 

 rather small, shouldered, roundish; berries large, round, black, with thin, 

 bluish bloom; flavor mild, sprightly; texture pulpy; aroma foxy. Valuable, 

 if at all, on account of its extreme earliness, which is quite in advance of Hart- 

 ford Prolific. We understand that this is its first year in fruit. Much must 

 therefore depend upon its future behavior, so far as 'its prospective value is 

 concerned. 



NATIVE PERSIMMONS. 



The native persimmon is said to bo indigenous as far north as central Ohio 

 and Illinois, and although not found in Michigan, a comparison of climates 

 might warrant the supposition that it would be able to endure our winters, at 

 least near the southern waters of Lake Michigan. Actual experiment has in fact, 

 in «ome degree, determined the correctness of this supposition, since seedling 

 persimmons have come safely through the past two winters here without shel- 

 ter or protection of any kind. 



JAPANESE PERSIMMONS. 



When the first plants of the Japanese persimmon were offered for sale in 

 this country they were claimed to be fully as hardy as the native variety, and 

 with such conviction they were more or less freely experimented with 

 at the North, and even to some extent in this State, only to end, how- 

 ever, in disappointment. Under these circumstances it seemed desir- 

 able to provide for the gratification of a probable curiosity respecting them, 

 and with this purpose we procured specimens of three named varieties from 

 which outlines and descriptions have been made. These specimens were grown 

 at Augusta, Georgia, by P. J. Berckmans, and were by him exhibited at Boston. 



Mikado, 



The earliest of these, was so over-mature that no outline could be taken, and 

 we can describe it most understandingly by saying that it is in form much like 

 a minie ball, greenish yellow in color with a very large calyx consisting of 

 four largo, broad, greenish segments; texture soft, buttery; flavor mild, sub- 





