SOME OTHER TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS. 221 



Southern States known to the writer, and along the 

 streams it, in some cases, extends north to the 40th 

 parallel. The fruit of the best varieties is small as com- 

 pared with the Japan varieties, which often weigh half a 

 pound, and large specimens often weigh from ten to twelve 

 ounces. The largest of the native varieties tested by the 

 writer has been less than two inches in diameter and well 

 loaded with seeds. Yet prior to the advent of the Japan 

 varieties some of the best native sorts were locally prized 

 in the South and propagated by nurserymen. 



No horticultural work would prove more interesting and 

 possibly valuable than crossing the seedless varieties of the 

 South, with fruit one inch in diameter, with the seedless 

 Japan (TanenasJii), with fruit three and one half inches in 

 diameter. Such hybrids would be apt to follow the natives 

 in hardiness, as our native is nearest to Nature (104), and 

 the probable seedless fruit may be of medium size and 

 improved flavor. Such a variety might become specially 

 valuable for drying. 



As yet, drying the best ripe Japan persimmons has been 

 experimental, but the decision of experts has been in its 

 favor. 



A testing committee in several instances has -decided 

 tlnit the dried persimmons were far better in quality and 

 more nutritious and healthful than the best Smyrna figs. 



Another line of improvement would be in the way of 

 importing hardier varieties from northern Japan and from 

 central Asia. The writer does not know the extent of 

 persimmon-growing in central Asia, but at the Nishni 

 Novgorod fair we were told that the fruit attained large 

 size and was dried for commerce and home use in great 

 quantity. Regel says: "The date plum in the warmer 

 district of Darvas becomes a large tree." This would 

 indicate it to be a different species from that of the 



