THE KAKI, OR CHINESE DATE PLUM ]. 415 



the tree to shape. Large wounds caused by the removal 

 of thick branches take a long time to heal and are always 

 dangerous. 



The fruit when ripe should be cut with care and 

 taken into the fruit room for some days before it is con- 

 sumed. It should be then perfectly ripe, or rather over- 

 ripe, with its pulp in a melting condition, so that it can be 

 taken up with a tea-spoon like jam or jelly. When in 

 this overripe condition the rather resinous after-taste of 

 the fruit is less objectionable. In Japan the fruit of the 

 kaki is matured or " seasoned" by storing it for a few days 

 in casks which used to contain Japanese beer, and it 

 appears that by this process the fruit parts entirely with 

 its astringency and resinous taste. 



The tree is subject to attacks of the scale-insects 

 Lecanium Oleae and Ceroplastes Rusci. An undetermined 

 species of fungus causes an early shedding of the foliage, 

 by attacking and killing the tips and margins of the leaf ; 

 and an undetermined microbe often installs itself on 

 large wounds of the stem and branches, and provokes the 

 exudation of a dark, viscid liquid, which retards the 

 healing process and may favour the development of 

 canker. For this reason all wounds exceeding one centi- 

 metre in thickness should be protected by painting over 

 with tar. However, the chief enemy of the kaki is the 

 fruit-fly (Ceratitis capitata] which punctures the fruit 

 and destroys it, just when it begins to show colour. 

 The only way to preserve the fruit from the attacks 

 of the fly consists in putting it into light cloth bags 

 in the same manner generally practised for pears and 

 other fruits. 



The following are the principal sorts of Kaki culti- 

 vated here and there in gardens and orchards. 



i. KAKI (type). This is the typical variety, bearing 

 apple-shaped fruits, 5 to 7 c.m. in diameter, with a lively 

 orange- coloured rind, and deep yellow pulp. 



