THE KAKI AND ITS RELATIVES 361 



and climatic conditions some varieties of D. kaki will set good crops 

 of fruit without pollination (seedless of course) while under another 

 set of conditions they do not do so. One season they may bloom freely 

 and set all the fruit the trees should carry and with an equal amount 

 of bloom in another season the same trees may bring no fruit to 

 maturity. 



" To sum up conditions as they are at present in the Lower South, 

 and based on numerous observations extending over more than a 

 decade, it is a fact that trees of all varieties of D. kaki, in good health 

 and which bloom under normal weather conditions, can be depended 

 upon to bear good crops if pollinated and it is equally true (a few 

 varieties only excepted) that they will not do so if pollen is not pro- 

 vided. In the last two seasons it has been amply demonstrated that 

 all that is necessary is to have staminate flowering trees in proximity 

 to the pistillate ones and bees, wasps, flies and other insects will take 

 care of the problem according to nature's own plan. 



"What is the owner of an orchard already planted to do if he 

 desires to place pollinizers in his orchard? It is quite easy to bud 

 over branches here and there in properly placed trees. !STo preliminary 

 cutting back is necessary, as the buds may be inserted where the 

 bark is anywhere from one to three years old. The work should be 

 done just as the leaves are coming out in the spring, using the ordi- 

 nary method of shield-budding, and tying the buds in place with 

 waxed cloth. The wraps should be left on about three weeks and as 

 soon as the buds have taken, the branches should be cut back, leaving 

 stubs five or six inches long to which the shoots from the buds may 

 be tied as they grow out. These stubs should be removed at the 

 end of one season's growth." 



It may be mentioned that Tane-nashi, normally a seedless 

 variety, fruits well without pollination, and it is thought that 

 Tamopan may do the same. 



The question of pollination is probably less important in semi- 

 arid regions, such as California, than in the moist climate of 

 Florida. The prospective grower should in any event use care 

 in the selection of varieties, and satisfy himself as to the need 

 of supplying pollinizers for them, before he undertakes to 

 develop a commercial kaki orchard. 



Horticultural varieties of the kaki are commonly propagated 

 by budding and grafting. Several species of Diospyros are 

 used as stock-plants. 



