34 



FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES. 



thick, smooth and shining above, lighter colored and 

 a trifle downy below ; the ribs are greatly curved and 

 irregular. The bark of the trunk is dark 

 reddish brown, deeply divided into 

 rather square-looking sections. 



The short-stemmed, plumlike 

 fruit, which is about an inch or 

 a little more in diameter, rip- 

 ens in mid-summer south- 

 ward, but not until No 

 vember northward. 

 It is pale orange 

 of a ruddy tone 

 when fully 

 ripe, and 

 has a pleas- 

 ant, sweet 

 flavor after 

 frost,* which 

 seems neces- 

 sary to render it edible. One rash bite of a per- 

 simmon before it has reached its fullest development 



* This, however, is a matter of opinion. There are those who 

 insist that the fruit is best ripened before frost, for, although the 

 latter removes the disagreeable astringency, it also destroys the 

 flavor, particularly if the fruit has not reached a certain stage of 

 maturity. In a half-dried condition a persimmon has the shriv- 

 eled appearance of a raisin, and it tastes not unlike a date. 



Persimmon 



