358 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



shown that it is entirely successful in a semi-arid climate, 

 while experience in other regions indicates that it can be grown 

 equally well in a region of reasonably heavy rainfall. In parts 

 of India where the precipitation is extremely heavy it has not 

 done well. 



In soil requirements the kaki is not exacting. Emile Sauvaigo, 

 one of the best French authorities, says : " It likes a deep, 

 reasonably heavy, well-drained soil, and it does well on clays, 

 when they are not too compact"; and Ikeda notes that the 

 yield is larger, and the color and quality of the fruit better, 

 when the trees are planted on heavy but well-drained loams. 

 In California it has been observed that they make larger growth 

 on heavy than on thin sandy soils, which would, of course, 

 be expected. Satisfactory results are obtained in Florida 

 on light sandy loams, particularly when they are moist; in 

 fact, it seems difficult to give the plant too moist a situation, 

 provided the drainage is good. 



Florida nurserymen advise that the land on which kakis are 

 to be planted be prepared in advance by growing a crop of 

 cowpeas or velvet-beans and plowing them under to enrich the 

 soil. Planting may be done in the lower South between Novem- 

 ber 15 and March 1, but preference is given to the period from 

 December 1 to February 1. The trees should be spaced 18 or 

 20 feet apart (134 or 108 trees to the acre). As much as 24 

 feet is considered a desirable distance in California. The roots 

 should not be allowed to dry out while the trees are being set. 

 The tops should be cut back to 2 or 2 feet on plants which 

 have not large stems. Roeding says: "The tap-root should 

 be cut back to 18 inches, and fresh cuts made on all the fibrous 

 roots. Afterthe trees areset,head them back to ISinches. The 

 first winter thin out the branches, not leaving more than four 

 to form the head of the tree. Cut these back at least one-half. 

 In the second, third, and fourth years pruning of the tree should 

 be continued to fashion it into the typical goblet form." 



