PERSIMMON. 369 



Zengi. Small, one and three-quarters by two inches, round or 

 oblate; color light, with reddish shades. Flesh dark brown, with 

 darker spots; very sweet and good; edible while solid in September 

 and has a long season through October. 



VALUABLE NATIVE VARIETIES. 



The native persimmon (Diospyros Virginiand) under favorable 

 conditions makes a tree from fifty to one hundred feet in height, 

 which in open position makes a round-topped handsome tree, which 

 is common over the South and extends North, of smaller size, along 

 streams up to the forty-second parallel. Prior to the advent of the 

 Japan varieties some of the largest and best of the native varieties 

 were propagated locally by nurserymen and prized by planters. The 

 best native varieties propagated at this time are the following, so 

 far as known to the writer: 



American. Propagated in Maryland and described : " Large, 

 yellow, early; ripens before frost. Tree very vigorous, with handsome 

 large foliage." Dioecious (34). 



American Hovey. Propagated in Texas. Larger than the Tex- 

 ana species averages; yellow, and quality is stated by T. V. Mun- 

 son to be better than any Japan variety tested. Tree a small 

 grower. Dioecious (34) . 



Large Fruited. Propagated in Southern Illinois and described : 

 " The fruit of this variety is almost as large as some of the Japanese 

 sorts; color orange yellow, firm, meaty, and as rich as the best figs 

 when touched by frost." Dioecious (34). 



