tavo] 



Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 157 



.vorite varieties for culture are the Yernon and the Jane-Nashi 

 [H. A. James] ; both are also much liked in the United States, 

 In Japan this is thought to be the best native fruit [Christy] ; 

 attains one pound in weight. There are also seedless varieties. 

 Dried Kaki-fruit is considered superior to figs. For drying the 

 fruit is peeled ; it requires a month to exsiccate. The Hyakuina- 

 variety when shrivelled measures as much as 4 by 3 inches [Jar- 

 main]. The green fruits serve as medicinal astringents [Dupont]. 

 Hiern counts as varieties D. Schitze (Bunge) and D. costata 

 (Carrie" re). 



Diospyros Lotus, Linnc. 



From Northern China to the Caucausus. 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 Excco- 

 caria, Nectandra and Jacaranda. This tree endures the winters of 

 Northern Germany [C. Koch] ; in the Crimea it rises to 40 feet 

 [London}. 



Diospyros Texana, Scheele. 



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

 globose, black, luscious [A. Gray]. The wood serves as a substitute 

 for that of the Turkey box [Prof. Sargent]. 



Diospyros Virginiana, Linne.* 



The North- American Ebony or Parsimon or Persimmon, indigen- 

 ously restricted to the South-Eastern States. A tree, reaching 

 70 feet in height, sends suckers up from the roots. Wood heavy, 

 very hard, blackish or brownish, valuable for shuttles instead of 

 boxwood [Jos. Gardner] ; for turnery, also shoe-lasts [Sargent] ; 

 for shafts one of the very best [Michaux]. The stem exudes a 

 kind of gum. The sweet variety yields a good table-fruit. Ripens 

 fruit to 41 North in Illinois [Bryant]. Endures the winters of 

 Northern Germany [C. Koch]. Hot summers promote the early 

 ripening and sweetness of the fruit, the delicious taste not alone 

 depending on early frost, as final sweetness depends on chemical 

 decomposition. The flowers yield honey. The species is of very 

 close affinity to D. Lotus, as remarked by A. Gray, which endures 

 the clime of Northern Germany also. 



Diplothemium campestre, Martins. 



Southern Brazil. A dwarf Palm of dry regions. The sweetish 

 pulpy outer covering of the small fruits is edible. D. maritimum 

 (Martins) grows naturally on sandy sea-coasts, and can be culti- 

 vated in the open air as far south as Port Jackson [C. Moore], 

 fruiting well there. 





