108 



The Persimmon* 



Tliis tree needs some pruning, but care mast be taken not to cut off too much 

 of the fruiting wood. The fruit is borne on the short shoots thrown off the previous 

 season's growth. The tree first requires shaping similarl}' as for other deciduous 

 trees. It natiu-ally forms a shapelj^ tree, and after it is once formed the leaders 

 should be kept fairly hard pruned to induce new growth, and the lateral growth 

 should be hept thinned out, more especially as the tree ages. However, only 

 the longer laterals should be cut back ; for, if all laterals are tipped, no fruit will 

 result, since the fruit is, as a rule, borne on the terminals. Figure 129 shows a 

 persimmon about se\-en years old unpruned, and Figure 130 shows the same tree 

 pruned. 



Fig. 129. 

 Persimmon. 



