67 



Further Notes on the Seedless Fruits op the Common 

 Persimmon — Diospyros virginiana L. 



I). M. MOTTIER. 



rersimiiioii trees grow in two different locations on the campus of 

 Indiana University. All of these are pistillate. One group of trees stands 

 near the center of the quadrangle, surrounded on all sides by large and 

 small forest trees, chiefly of maple, elm and beech. Another tree grows at 

 the edge of the grounds near a street. Other persimmon trees, both stam- 

 inate and pistillate, occur in the town, the nearest being two blocks distant. 



This year the tree near the street bore heavily, all the fruits being 

 Hue, large berries with seeds. The trees near the center of tlie quadrangle 

 bore fruits, but in. smaller quantities per tree. These fruits were smaller, 

 ripening naturally later and containing, as a rule, fewer seeds per berry. 

 Moreover, there were a number of ])urely seedless fruits. The proportion 

 of fruits with only one or t\\o seeds was much greater than in the case of 

 the former tree. Seedless fruits and those with only one or two seeds 

 are, as a rule, much smaller than those having several seeds. 



According to experiments thus far carried out the seedless fruits of 

 the comnHm persinunon are due to a lack of pollination or, at least, of 

 fertilization, and the seedless berries, which have the same flavor as those 

 with seeds, represent cases of parthenocarpy. Tlie trees near the center 

 of the quadrangle, being surrounded by other trees, are doubtless less 

 readily fotind by bees. The trees out on the farms in this county which 

 bear seedless fruits in noticeable quantities are usually those tliat are some 

 distance from staminate trees. To my knowledge there is no seedless strain 

 of the common persimmon in Indiana. 



An attempt to ripen the fruit artificially was successful. The method 

 used is an exceedingly simple one, and consists in enclosing the friiits in 

 Mason jars and allowing them to remain in a cool place in the basement, 

 for from ten days to two weeks. The lids of the .jars were screwed on 

 without rubbers. 



The fruits were taken from the trees soon after the leaves had begun 

 to fall. The berries were fully developed, with very firm flesh, and 

 astringent beyond description. When taken from the jars at the expira- 



