IIS 



310 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



slightly astringent until fully ripe and soft. It ripens in September 

 in Jackson County, Mo., on thin dry land, but on richer soil and 

 under cultivation is considerably later and can be marketed during 

 a period of several weeks during autumn and early winter without 

 resorting to cold storage. The specimens illustrated on Plate 

 XXXII were grown by Col. J. C. Evans, Harlem, Mo. 



The tree is a strong grower and regularly productive. It is con- 

 sidered worthy of testing in all persimmon-growing sections where 

 a large variety, ripening late, is desired. 



RUBY PERSIMMON. 



(SYNONYM: Little' 's Ruby.) 



[PLATE XXXIII.] 



This choice variety was disseminated by the late James A. Little, 

 of Cartersburg, Ind., about 1897, a the exact time and place of its 

 origin being at the present time unknown. It is supposed to have 

 reached Mr. Little in the form of scions from a cor respondent. & It 

 has been somewhat confused with a variety experimentally dissemi- 

 nated by the late Judge Samuel Miller about 1899 or 1900 under the 

 same name, which was found as a wild tree on his grounds at Bluffton, 

 Mo., about 1883. c 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form roundish oblate; size medium; cavity regular, of medium 

 size, shallow ; calyx 4-lobed, entire ; stem short, rather slender ; apex 

 small, protruding; surface smooth; color yellowish red, shading 

 into deep red, and covered with a thin whitish bloom; dots minute; 

 skin thin, rather tender; seeds rather small, plump, broAvn, few (4 

 to 6) ; flesh translucent, dark orange color, meaty, moderately juicy, 

 sweet, though with a slightly astringent aftertaste until fully ripe; 

 quality very good. 



Season variable, ripening without frost, though hanging to the 

 tree until after freezing if not harvested earlier. The tree is abun- 

 dantly productive in Hendricks County, Ind., and is reported to be 

 so at Farmingdale, 111., by Mr. Benjamin Buckman,-* who has 

 fruited it there. Though of only medium size, the earliness, beauty, 

 fine quality, and productiveness of this variety render it very prom- 

 ising for growers in the more northern portions of the persimmon 

 region. 



Mr. Little reported that he was unable to supply the demand for it 

 in the Indianapolis market at 10 cents per pint when marketed in 



Letter of F. O. Harrington, Williamsburg, Iowa, March, 1908. 

 6 Letter of Alonzo Little, Cartersburg, Ind., March, 1908. 

 c Letter of Samuel E. Miller, Bluffton, Mo., March, 1908. 

 d Letter of Benj. Buckman, Farmingdale, 111., Nov. 1, 1907. 



