14 MY GROWING GARDEN 



Nipponese fruit seemingly will not mix or "cross" 

 or hybridize with, our native persimmon. It is not 

 recorded that Burbank has ever tried to bring 

 together these two fruits in a union that easily 

 might produce a result of great economic value; 

 but then Burbank has not done much that is of 

 any real use to any climate outside of California, 

 and the spectacular seems to appeal to him much 

 more strongly than the useful. Sometime, how- 

 ever, the union wiU be made, and we shall have a 

 fruit somewhat larger than this shapeless mass of 

 juicy pulp I am eating, with, let us hope, at least 

 a portion of its exquisite wild tang. 



There are two of the persimmon trees, but only 

 one has fruited. Both have the distinct habit of 

 the genus so clearly outlined in even these trees 

 that are probably not over twenty-five years old, 

 and which in the years of their maturity wiU make 

 them splendidly eflFective. 



I have discovered another treasiu-e not far 

 from the persimmons — a fine, shapely mulberry, 

 surely old enough to bear. Truly my growing 

 garden has surprises ! 



But now is the time for garden planning, so 

 that later we may plant with order and certainty. 

 While the hedges and the paths impose certain 

 lines, in general the garden may be what we like. 



