PERSIMMONS AND THE BIUKETT PEAK. 63 



After trees are planted see that j'ou do not try to push the growth 

 of the tree too much, but try and have a very moderate* amount of well- 

 ripened wood each year. 



Anything that will check the growth of pear trees, yet let them put 

 on a moderate growth, Is beneficial in the end toward helping to grow a 

 crop of fruit. A blue grass sod such as many of us have in our yards is 

 one of the best agencies to help with this work. A clay soil or a lime 

 stone rock mixed with moderately rich soil helps trees planted in our 

 yards, and given a limited cultivation for a few years do well and bring 

 results. By a limited cultivation I mean to keep the grass from closing 

 up around the tree so that scarcely any rain or other moisture can get to 

 the roots of the tree, and yet not that digging and hoeing all the time to 

 keep the tree drinking in all the moisture and appropriating all the fer- 

 tility in reach of the roots. 



The Chairman: The next paper will be by Mr. J. P. Dunlap, of 

 Dwight, on "Persimmons and the* Birkett pear." 



PERSIMMONS AND THE BIRKETT PEAR. 

 J. R. Dunlap, Dwight. 



The persimmon is native of the southeast quarter of the United 

 States, but as there are many people here who have never seen the tree 

 nor fruit a short description may be well. In shape, looks, and size the 

 tree is much like our native hackberry and has large, thick leaves like 

 the common milkweed. In size the fruit are like plums and are produced 

 in great abundance. While green they are harsh and astringent, but 

 when ripe are luscious. I do not know of any insect that attacks the 

 fruit. They do not bloom until June. Where they grow in the wild woods 

 or from seeds they are various in size and color and quality. The De- 

 partment of Agriculture has been keeping a record of good quality trees. 

 They also have brought different kinds of cultivated persimmons from 

 Asia; so far they have proved too tender for this far north. Of the Amei 

 ican kinds the trees generally are hardy in Nebraska, but many good 

 kinds fail to ripen their fruit on account of our short seasons. Some 

 kinds are hardy and ripen their fruit perfectly. The Ada has proved 

 the best with me. It is of fair size, the color yellow, with red sides, qual- 

 ity good, and ripens perfectly; tree hardy. Little Ruby is another that 

 I have good hopes of, but not fully tested; it is red in color. 



As persimmons do not have perfect blossom it is necessary to have 

 a stamenate tree along with the bearing trees. The better way to grow 

 the trees is to plant the seed where the trees are to grow and let them 

 grow until stamenate trees show bloom, then select those wanted for 

 fertilizers and graft or bud the others. This can be done as successfully 

 as with the apple, but needs to be done by an experienced person. The 

 seedlings should grow two years in the seedling row; then be trans- 

 planted before budding. The fertilizers can also be made by budding. 



