270 YEAKBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ORMOND PERSIMMON. 

 SYNONYMS : Bostrom, Vining' s Winter, Ormond Winter. 



[PLATE VI. 1 

 EARLY HISTORY. 



The Ormond persimmon belongs to the oriental species Diospyros 

 kaki. Its early history is somewhat uncertain. The original tree 

 was apparently sent from Washington, D. C., supposedly by the 

 Department of Agriculture, to the Rev. E. Y. Pinkerton, at Ormond, 

 Fla. There is a difference of opinion, or recollection, at the present 

 time with reference to when this occurred. Mr. J. A. Bostrom 1 

 places it about the year 1870, but Mr. James P. Vining, 2 who has 

 known the variety for many years, has assumed a date several years 

 later than this, his conclusion being based on the time of certain 

 property transfers which occurred in the late eighties. But there 

 appears to be a unity of statement regarding the general facts of 

 the case. 



The tree was planted by Mr. Bostrom for Mr. Pinkerton, and, as 

 recalled by the former, it was about the size of a lead pencil and 

 apparently a seedling, as it bore no signs of having been budded or 

 grafted. At the time the tree came into Mr. Bostrom 's hands there 

 was a side branch which had developed from a point near the crown. 

 When it was planted this branch was cut off and grafted by Mr. 

 Bostrom into a wild persimmon tree on his own place. 



On account of the enforced absence of Mr. Pinkerton the tree re- 

 ceived but little care and soon died. However, Mr. Bostrom's graft 

 grew, and within a year or two it began to fruit. The tree which 

 developed from this graft is still in the possession of its original 

 owner and is in a thrifty condition. 



According to Mr. Vining, the fruit at first was not recognized as 

 of any special value, but later, because of its long-keeping charac- 

 teristics, it attracted attention. 



This variety has been propagated locally to a limited extent for 

 some years. It is known to some about Ormond as the " Bostrom " 

 persimmon. In 1909 it was offered to the trade by Griffing Brothers 

 Co., of Jacksonville, Fla., and catalogued under the name " Vining's 

 Winter," but at the request of Mr. Vining it was listed the following 

 year as " Ormond Winter." Under the code of nomenclature of the 

 American Pomological Society this name is reduced to Ormond. 



1 Letter from Mr. Bostrom, January, 1913. 



2 Letter from Mr. Vining, June, 1911. 



