692 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP AGRICULTURE. 



and under the best conditions of culture. In the plantations visited, 

 on an island near the southern junction of the Indian and Banana 

 Rivers, the plants appeared to be set about 18 inches apart, in masses, 

 thus preventing effective cultivation. The brown and bleached 

 aspect of the leaves indicated injury from cold weather. The fruits 

 are mostly small, and having to enter markets in competition with 

 fruits of the same kind imported from the "West Indies, which some- 

 times sell at prices not much above those given for the best oranges, 

 the profits are not encouraging. 



When the plants are allowed space for full development, and due 

 attention given to the slight protection necessary during winter, fruits 

 weighing from 6 to 10 pounds are produced, and these command remu- 

 nerative prices. 



THE JAPAN PERSIMMON. 



In the spring of 1863 the Department received its first importation 

 of seeds of persimmons from Japan through the agency of the United 

 States legation in that country. With the Anew of testing their adapt- 

 ability to our climate, these were sown in the open ground in drills, 

 similar to sowing peas. They vegetated freely, and the plants at- 

 tained an average size of 1 foot in height the first year, many of them 

 reaching over 18 inches. They were slightly protected by covering 

 the soil with leaves and strawy manure during winter. It was ob- 

 served that the plants varied in their capacity to resist cold, the 

 severest temperature of the season being 4 above zero. As growth 

 advanced it was found that a small percentage of the plants were un- 

 injured; the majority were killed to the surface of the ground, and all 

 others completely destroyed. Subsequent importations of seed, when 

 planted and grown under similar conditions, showed similar results, 

 thus indicating that varieties differ in their ability to resist cold. 



Some years after the first importation of seed it was learned that 

 grafted plants of the best-selected varieties could be obtained in Japan 

 from reliable sources. A small invoice of these was secured, and a 

 number of the plants set out in a sheltered spot, with results similar 

 to those experienced with the plants raised from seed. Some reached 

 a fruiting condition, although more or less injured during winter. 

 Finally, during a winter of unusual severity here, when the ther- 

 mometer indicated 15° below zero, they were all killed by the extreme 

 cold. 



The first effort toward propagation was in attempting to bud these 

 foreign kinds (Diospyros Kaki) in stocks of the native persimmon 

 {Diospyros Virgimana). This was not successful. Grafting was 

 then resorted to. Young stocks of the native persimmon were grafted 

 near the ground with success. The plants progressed favorably, but 

 they were destroyed by the severe freeze mentioned above. Only the 

 native stock remained alive, the graft having been killed to the point 

 of junction. 



These experiences naturally led to the conviction that the Jaj^an 

 persimmon would not be a reliable crop in this district. 



So many plants from Japan proving hardy enough to withstand 

 the colds of northern climates, it was hoped the persimmon of that 

 country would flourish wherever our native persimmon existed . Tlie 

 Department, however, carefully refrained from recommending the 

 introduction of the best-selected varieties in northern climates; its 

 experience with plants raised from seeds suggested caution in this 

 respect. 



