350 



THE PERSIMMON 



THE PERSIMMON 



The fruits of the persimmon vary in size 

 from that of a small cherry to that of a large 

 plum. They are sometimes entirely destitute 

 of seeds, these seedless sorts being pleasantest 

 to eat, although they more often run small in 

 size. The fruit of some trees is soft, crushing 

 as easily as a ripe peach, while on other trees 

 it remains as hard as a green apple even after 

 heavy frost. The produce of some trees is 

 sweet and luscious at maturity without the 

 action of frost, while on others it is astringent 

 and inedible to the end, neither maturity nor 

 frost alleviating its austerity. The persimmon 

 ripens its fruit in midsummer near the Gulf, 

 but not until late autumn at its northern 

 limits, where the trees retain the crop until 

 after heavy frosts. The fruits vary in color 

 from yellow to orange and even purplish red, 

 with many varietal marks, and are often cov- 

 ered with more or less bloom. The crop of 

 late varieties often turns dark red, shriveling 

 and drying on the trees until the fruits re- 

 semble dried dates in appearance and some- 

 what in taste. The best varieties are those 

 that ripen as the leaves begin to fall, the 

 earliest and latest fruits being poor in flavor. 



There seem to be few records of successful 

 efforts at crossing native persimmons with 

 Japanese varieties, yet such crosses have been 

 made. The Japanese persimmon, or kaki, 

 has been cultivated for centuries in Japan and 

 China, and hundreds of varieties have been 

 developed. One species at least, probably 

 Diospyros Kaki, is hardy as far north as Pekin 

 and is found in the colder parts of Japan, 

 regions as cold as New England; there are 

 no reasons why strains of this species could 

 not be grown wherever the peach can be 

 grown in North America. Since hybridization 

 is possible, there are great opportunities in the 

 crossing of Japanese and native persimmons 

 for both northern and southern fruit regions 

 in America. This would give the country a 

 handsome new fruit of excellent quality, easily 

 grown, which stands shipment when fresh, and 

 can be kept long when dried. 



Some twenty or thirty nurserymen in the 

 South and California offer varieties of per- 

 simmons for sale. The best varieties are de- 

 scribed by W. F. Fletcher in Farmer's Bulletin 

 No. 685, United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, from which the following descriptions, 

 with two exceptions, are taken: 



DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES OP PERSIMMONS 



BOONE 



Daniel Boone 



Origin, Indiana, where it ripens during October and 

 November ; form, roundish oblate ; size, medium ; color, 

 yellow with dull blush in the sun ; skin, rather tough ; 

 seeds, numerous, flavor, sweet but not rich ; quality, 

 good. 



Origin, central Kentucky, where it ripens rather 

 early ; form, oblate ; size, medium ; color, yellow ; prac- 

 tically seedless ; flesh, soft ; quality, very good. 



DELMA8 



Origin, Scranton, Mississippi, where it ripens during 

 October and early November ; form, roundish-oblate ; 



size, medium to large ; color, reddish-yellow ; skin, thin, 

 and tough ; seeds, numerous ; flavor, sweet and rich ; 

 quality, very good. 



EARLY BEARING 



Introduced from Cartersburg, Indiana, where it ripens 

 early in October ; form, round-ovate ; size, medium ; 

 color, dull yellow ; quality, good. 



EARLY GOLDEN 



Origin, Illinois, where it ripens in September ; form, 

 oblong ; size, medium to large ; color, yellow ; skin, 

 thin ; seeds, few ; flavor, sweet ; quality, very good. 



OLIDWELL 



This variety is offered in Indiana as one of the best 

 native persimmons for that region, it having originated 

 a few years ago in that state. The fruit is described 

 as large, oblong, good in quality and as without 

 astringency. 



313. Golden Gem Persimmon. (XD 



GOLDEN GEM. Fig. 313 



Introduced from Borden, Indiana, where it ripens 

 from August to October ; form, roundish-oblong ; size, 

 medium to large ; color, dark orange to red ; seeds, few ; 

 flavor, rich and sweet ; quality, good. 



Origin, Washington County, Indiana, where it ripens 

 in October ; form, roundish-oblate ; size, medium to 

 large ; color, dark red ; skin, thin and tender ; seeds, 

 few; flavor, rich; quality, very good. 



314. Josephine Persimmon. (XD 



JOSEPHINE. Fig. 314 



American Honey. Honey 



Origin near Bluffton, Missouri, where it ripens in 

 September ; form, roundish-oblate ; size, medium ; color, 



