1879. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



269 



Loomis, a very intelligent gentleman who had 

 resided in Japan and who had often eaten tliis 

 fruit was so impressed with its excellence that 

 he incurred the risk of bringing out a quantity 

 of trees to this country, hoping that his country- 

 men would appreciate his efforts and sustain 

 him. He issued a circular in which he gave 

 unquestioned authorities for the excellence of 

 the fruit, but did not attempt to fix the latitudes 

 best adapted, as each variety had its own best 

 latitude in Japan. These circulars with a large 

 quantity of trees he placed in our hands to dis- 

 seminate, knowing that we had a large experi- 

 ence with Japanese plants. These plants came 

 to us dry from the voyage, having had no care 

 nor special culture, and under instructions from 

 Dr. Loomis we replaced all which did not grow 

 of those which we sold. But coming from the 

 opposite side of the globe where seasons are 

 different, those which we planted out ourselves 

 were very late in starting and made so succulent 

 a growth that we did not think it safe to expose 

 them the following "Winter after our experience 

 with young American Persimmons. Of eight 

 which we left unprotected, four were killed and 

 four are growing luxuriantly. Other parties 

 have planted them on Long Island and lost 

 none. 



We hope to hear from others who have 

 planted it. Those who have reported have 

 been generally favorable. Hardiness is the only 

 point on which we need information. There is 

 little doubt that it will be hardy anywhere 

 south of the latitude of Baltimore. That it 

 will be hardy north of that line can be proved 

 only by experience. Of its behaviour in this 

 country we know too little yet to condemn it in 

 any respect. 



One of the largest importers of it assures us 

 that he has known it to continue entirely dor- 

 mant the first year after importation and grow 

 well on the second. With us it has been as late 

 as the 1st of August in showing life the first 

 season after importation. Throwing it away at 

 midsummer because it does not show life would 

 therefore be a mistake. There is so much evi- 

 dence of the excellence of its fruit that if it can 

 escape the borer which is equally fatal to it and 

 to the American Persimmon, and can be suc- 

 cessfully grafted in the open air on our native 

 stock, we may fairly hope that the old fields of 

 the South in which there are millions of trees 

 will be made full of profit to their owners. 

 I hope that Mr. Manning will be willing to wait 



and see the condition of a Japanese Persimmon 



tree which has escaped the tenderness of youth 

 and settled into the maturity of age. 



FRUIT NOTES FROM INDIANA. 



BY A. C. L., MADISON. 



The Raspberry season is almost closed and it 

 may be a matter of interest to many of your 

 readers to learn the varieties that best succee(\ 

 in the Ohio Valley, from Cincinnati to Cairo. 

 Between the extreme cold of last Winter and 

 drouth of this Spring and Summer the crop has 

 been the shortest known for many years. The 

 Ilerstine would be a universal favorite, but the, 

 past Winter proved that it was not hardy, 

 nearly all of the plants were killed to the 

 ground. 



The Southern Red is nearly equal to the Her- 

 stine in all respects save that it is not prolific, 

 but it is perfectly hardy. The Gregg has fully 

 maintained the high character given it. It will 

 supercede all other Black Caps here. The 

 Pride of the Hudson was killed to the ground, 

 Think of that ! oh ye people that sold plants 

 " perfectly hardy " at fifty cents each. 



I am watching with great interest a few 

 specimens of the Japanese Persimmon now 

 growing on a little tree only four years old. \ 

 hope they will mature. 



[We suppose these persimmons are in tho 

 open air, in which case we may look for its 

 hardiness at Madison, Indiana. — Ed. G. M.] 



HARDINESS OF JAPAN PERSIMMON. 



BY GEO. FOUST, BARNEGAT, N. J. 



I have read with much pleasure the articles 

 in your estimable magazine on the hardiness of 

 the Japan Persimmon, and as far as I can see, 

 the experiments were made on plants graftecj 

 on our American variety. Now, the general 

 run of Japanese plants succeed admirably in 

 this county, and generally prove as hardy as our 

 natives •, and why not this when the culture is 

 properly understood? In the Spring of 1875 

 Engineer Rowbotham, U. S. N., arrived homo 

 after spending three years cruising in Japanese 

 waters. When he called on me he had a won- 

 derful story to tell of the Japan Persimmon, 

 its size, lusciousness, beautiful color and fine 

 taste, somewhat between an orange and apple. 

 He brought home a few seeds for me to germin- 

 ate for him, and being immediately planted, 

 started with considera,bie vigor. I planted two 



