in Extra-Tropical Countries. 123 



tree for test-plantations in warm extra-tropical lowland forest-regions, 

 where also D. quaesita and D. oppositifolia, the best Calamander- 

 trees, and D. inelanoxylon should be tried. Many other species of 

 Diospyros could probably be introduced from the mountains of various 

 tropical regions either for the sake of their ebony-like wood or their 

 fruit. Black Ebony -wood sinks in water. The price in England 

 ranges from 8 to 10 per ton, from 700 to 1,000 tons being imported 

 into Britain annually for pianoforte-keys, the string-holders of musical 

 instruments, the fingerboard and tail-piece of violins, sharp note-pieces 

 of pianos, harmoniums and cabinet-organs, and other select purposes. 

 The following species, some of which may prove hardy, yield Ebony- 

 wood, according to Hiern : India D. Ebenum, Koen, D. melan- 

 oxylon, Roxb., D. silvatica, Roxb., D. Gardneri, Thw., D. hirsuta, 

 L. fil., D. discolor, Willd., D. Embropteris, Thw., D. Ebenaster, 

 Retz., D. montana, Roxb., D. insignis, Pers., D. Tupru, Hamilt., D. 

 truncata, Zoll., D. ramiflora, Wall; Africa D. Dendo., Welw., D. 

 mespiliformis, Hochst.; Mauritius D. tesselaria, Poiret; Mada- 

 gascar D. haplostylis, Boivin, D. microrhombus, Hiern. 



Diospyros Kaki, Lhm6 fil. 



The Date-plum of China and Japan. A rather slow-growing not 

 very productive tree, hardy at Port Phillip, comes into bearing when 

 only five years old. The fruit is yellow, pink or dark-purple, variable 

 in size, but seldom larger than an ordinary apple; it can readily 

 be dried on strings. A hard and soft variety occur. It has ripened 

 as far north as Philadelphia (Saunders). The most famed varieties 

 are, according to the Rev. Mr. Loorins : Ronosan, Nihon, Micado, 

 Daimio, Taikoon, Yamato, the latter particularly large and saccharine, 

 and with the Jogen- variety mostly used for drying. In Japan this is 

 thought to be the best native fruit (Christie); attains one pound in 

 weight. There is also a small seedless variety. Dried Kaki-fruit is 

 considered superior to figs. For drying the fruit is peeled; it requires 

 a month to exsiccate. The Hyakuma-variety when shrivelled 

 measures as much as 4 by 3 inches (Jarmain). The green fruits 

 serve as medicinal astringents (Dupont). Fruits weighing nearly a 

 pound have been obtained at Melbourne. 



Diospyros Lotus, Linn. 



From Northern China to the Caucasus. The ordinary Date-plum. 

 The sweet fruits of this tree, resembling black cherries, are edible and 

 also used for the preparation of syrup. The wood, like that of D. 

 chloroxylon, is known in some places as Green Ebony. It resembles 

 Mottled Ebony; it must not however be confounded with other kinds, 

 such as are furnished by some species of Exco3caria, Nectandra and 

 Jacaranda. This tree endures the winters of Northern Germany 

 (C. Koch); in the Crimea it rises to 40 feet (Loudon). 



Diospyros Texana, Scheele. 



Mexico and Texas. Tree, reaching a height of 30 feet; fruit 

 globose, black, luscious (A. Gray). 



