205 



i), indigenous to Mexico and Texas a rather strong-growing 

 tree is said to yield a very palatable fruit when fully ripe. Anothei 

 American, species (DiOfpyros Virginia nci") a strong-growing tree 

 which attains a height of sixty or seventy feet, is the true American 

 Persimmon. The fruit is in appearance something like a Medlar, 

 and about the size of a Greengage Plum. It is not nearly equal to 

 that of the Chinese Date Plum, but has a rich, sweet flavour when 

 dead ripe. The wood of this and other species is valuable, and 

 utilized for many purposes under the name of ebony or ironwood. 



Though the fruit of various species is utilized in different parts of 

 the world, yet all are vastly inferior to the Chinese or Japanese 

 Date Plum, the produce of Diospyros kaki. This species embraces a 

 number of varieties, which vary considerably in size, shape, and 

 depth of colour, as also in flavour. As this fruit has not been- 

 generally cultivated in Australia the experience as to the relative 

 merits of the varieties introduced is too limited to arrive at positive 

 conclusions at the present time. Some certainly appear to be 

 vastly superior to others, but further experience regarding this 

 fruit is necessary. It must also be remembered by cultivators 

 that the fruit wants keeping for some days after it is gathered before 

 it is eaten, to obtain it in perfection. If eaten direct from the tree, 

 though apparently the fruit may be fully ripe, yet the flavour will 

 be comparatively poor, if not quite insipid. Many growers have 

 made this mistake, and as a consequence the fruit has been condemned 

 as being inferior to what it was expected to be. Though some 

 varieties will doubtless be found inferior to others, yet before dis- 

 carding them the fruit should be tested when in the best possible 

 condition, that is in about ten days or a fortnight after it is gathered.. 

 Then again, the fruit should not be taken from the trees till it is 

 well ripened. The full richness and sweetness of flavour seems tc* 

 depend upon chemical decomposition in the fruit. If wanted for 

 drying the fruit must be treated the same, in order, to fully develop 

 its sweetness and flavour. Drying is easily affected by spreading the 

 fruit upon trays and exposing to the sun, turning it several times,, 

 previous! v removing the skins, which are intensely astringent. For 

 the same reason when the fruit is eaten fresh care should be taken 

 that the inner part of the skin does not come into contact with the 

 mouth. The dried fruit makes an excellent sweetmeat, and will 

 doubtless become popular when it is more generally known. 



Cl l.TIVATION AXD PROPAGATION. 



The Date Plum may be grown successfully in. most parts of 

 Australasia, but it will probably give the largest returns in the medium 

 \varm districts. It is a deciduous tree, is somewhat slow in growth, does 

 not attain a very large size, and commences to bear when four or- 

 five years old. As the trees increase in age they bear more freely up 

 to a certain limit, and as a rule, are fairly prolific. The ground 

 should be deeply worked, and when necessary drainage must be- 

 pro vided for. as the trees cannot thrive with an excess of water at 



