THE PERSIMMON. 



673 



waxy fruit every year. From this it might be inferred that 

 but a minimum of culture is really needed. Still, knowing 

 that something cannot come of nothing, it is evident that the 

 continued removal of large quantities of fruit from the ground 

 must finally end in exhaustion and barrenness, and that a re- 

 cuperative system of fertilizing must be adopted. Perhaps 

 the best soil is a well-drained clay or sandy or gravelly loam, 

 but the trees appear to succeed on any soil not too wet, par- 

 ticularly where the native persimmon flourishes. 



There are but few diseases or enemies. The most trouble- 

 some is the twig-girdler (Oncideres cingu- 

 lata} (Fig. 819), which can be checked by 

 gathering and burning the girdled branches 

 as they fall, thus destroying the eggs of the 

 insects which have been deposited in them. 

 In some places the damage caused by this 

 beetle has been so great as almost to discour- 

 age planters. There are several species of 

 borers that work in the wood, sometimes 

 killing the tree to the roots, which however 

 always sprouts up again and may be re- 

 grafted. Kerosene applications will destroy 

 them. They often come from hickory-trees, 

 and the trouble may be lessened by the re- 

 moval of the latter. If the red spider or 

 other allied mites attack the foliage, causing it to curl, or 

 soft-shell scales appear, they may be easily disposed of by 

 applying the common insecticides. 



The earliest varieties of the persimmon begin to ripen in 

 August or September, and mature gradually, so that, in order 

 to gather the fruit at the right stage, a tree must be gone over 

 several times. For shipping, persimmons should be picked 

 two or three weeks before softening, or they will not reach 

 market in sound condition. Some experience is required to 

 know just when they should be taken off. When fully ripe 

 the color varies from bright crimson to yellow, and the out- 

 lines from flat or tomato-shaped to forms elongated like an 

 acorn. Those having clear orange-colored pulp are more or 

 less astringent at first, and unpleasant for eating till they 

 become soft. The round or flattened forms, with dark flesh. 



FIG. 819. Twig- 



girdler. 



