434 THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



on the subject, describes eight of these varieties, — 

 Shoto, Early Bearing, Golden Gem, Daniel Boone, 

 Hicks, Kansas, Smeech, Early Golden. These writers 

 speak as follows of the prospective merits of the 

 species : 



The native persimmon, or date plum, is one of our neglected 

 wild fruits which has heretofore received but little attention 

 from the fruit - growers of this country, although it possesses 

 many desirable qualities which, when brought to a higher state 

 of perfection by selection and cross-fertilization, will certainly 

 cause it to be more highly appreciated by all lovers of good 

 fruit. But little literature is to be found on the subject, and so 

 the general public is quite ignorant concerning its real merits. 

 The fruit is scarcely known except by those who live in sections 

 of the country where it grows wild, and even in these localities, 

 but little attention has been given to its cultivation. 



From recent personal investigations, we have found the per- 

 simmon growing wild in many portions of the southern half of 

 this state, and producing, in some instances, a fruit of excellent 

 quality and in great abundance; and yet so little attention is 

 given to it by the farmers in these localities that hundreds of 

 bushels of fruit are annually allowed to waste on the ground. 

 There are various reasons why this fruit has been hitherto 

 neglected. One is the exceedingly astringent or puckery prin- 

 ciple which the green fruit contains, and which remains v. ith 

 most wild varieties until thoroughly ripe, some never Losing it 

 entirely. Again, in most instances, where cultivation has been 

 attempted, suckers or seedlings have Keen used for planting, 

 and these generally die, or if they live, produce inferior fruit, 

 or prove to be sterile. Another discouraging feature was that it 

 required a long lime for the trees to come into bearing. Bu1 a 

 new condition of things is being brought about, so that these 

 difficulties will soon lie largely removed. New methods of propa- 

 gation ami cultivation are being introduced in its culture, s<> 



that now trees frequently begin bearing at from three to five 



years from the hud or graft, and we lielieve that this fruit is 



capable of being improved to Buch an extent as to make it 



equal to that of some of the Japanese varieties. 



