February, 1909 
begin to expand, and in a 
short while the flowers put 
in an appearance. The ac- 
tual saving of time brought 
about by the adoption of 
this method is very con- 
siderable. Lilies of the 
valley treated with ether 
were in full bloom in a fort- 
night from the start. Some 
azaleas, which were potted 
up after exposure to the 
anesthetic, were out on 
March 8, although they 
had only been growing 
from the 25th of February. 
Specimens which had not 
been treated at all, and were 
started at the time of the 
others, did not come to ma- 
turity until at least a fort- 
night later. In the case of 
lilac and other plants the 
saving of time was equally remarkable and satisfactory. 
One point upon which there has been some misunder- 
standing among gardeners is that the chloroform treatment 
will make up deficiencies in the quality of the plants. This 
is a very mistaken idea, for unless the dormant specimens 
are well budded good results can not be looked for, albeit 
the vapor appears to bring about a finer development. The 
different species appear to succeed best under a special anes- 
thetic, and it is a matter of no little trouble to find out 
the best drug to use. ‘Thus it is found that ether seems to 
The anesthetization of lilies of the valley. Note difference between plants 
in foreground and those at back 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 65 
be best suited to the require- 
ments of lilac and chloro- 
form in the case of azalea. 
Any amateur enough inter- 
ested to take the matter up 
will find a most promising 
field for investigation in this 
question of the plant and 
the anesthetic. The ex- 
penses involved are, of 
course, very small when the 
matter of outfit is con- 
sidered. A certain amount 
of care in the handling of 
the chloroform and ether is 
necessary, as it should be 
remembered that these are 
volatile and highly inflam- 
mable spirits. 
In France the treating of 
lilac with anesthetics at the 
present time has developed 
into a large industry. The 
new method has entirely overcome a difficulty which has 
always troubled the forcer of this plant in the early months 
of the year—that is, the matter of leafage. Lilac could 
be induced to develop its blooms with heat, but the 
plants would not develop their foliage. After the specimens 
have been anesthetized the leaves are produced in the greatest 
profusion at the same time as the flowers. A similar result 
is to be noticed to a large extent in the case of lilies of the 
valley. On the whole this method offers many interesting 
opportunities of study that may be turned to account. 
A Few Neglected Fruits 
By E. P. Powell 
WINTER in Florida is always made more 
) pleasant by the opportunity of obtaining 
a plenty of Japanese persimmons. It is 
-hardly understood by Americans that the 
native persimmon can be grown as far north 
as Boston, and probably Concord, or pos- 
sibly into Canada. I have it growing at 
Clinton, near Utica, New York State. This fruit is capable 
of not only enduring our climate, but of very decided im- 
provement in quality. I obtained cions of the most improved 
sorts, as grown in Missouri and in Virginia. All of these 
took well when grafted in poorer stock. Among these per- 
haps the best was the Josephine, and I can tell you where 
to get Josephine cions or possibly roots. Send to T. V. Mun- 
son, Denison, Texas. He has taken a good deal of interest 
in disseminating this improved sort. I also obtained a variety 
which was nearly seedless. The grafting should be done 
rather late in the season—a couple of weeks after the grafting 
of apples and pears. It would be a good thing for our north- 
ern gardens to undertake the growth of this fruit. The tree 
for shade is exceedingly beautiful, and the wood is American 
ebony—hard and beautiful for polish. I obtained from one 
tree, of about thirty feet in height, two or three bushels of 
persimmons annually. ‘The leaves are bright green, putting 
out late in the spring and dropping early in the fall. After 
the leaves have fallen the fruit makes the tree exceedingly 
beautiful with its golden balls. 
The Japanese persimmon is not hardy north of, perhaps, 
Georgia, although I believe some varieties stand the test 
fairly well up to the Ohio River. Efforts have been made to 
liar, very large, and chocolate-hued. 
bring from Corea varieties that will endure the zero climate. 
The leaves of this persimmon are larger, but not so sym- 
metrical and beautiful as those of the native sorts. I be- 
lieve that no marked success has followed efforts to improve 
the imported varieties. The Japanese varieties are four or 
five times as large as the native, and ripen from September 
until January. The flesh is usually a bright orange color, 
sweet and spicy, and to be eaten with a spoon. Some of these 
imported sorts are seedless, and others are as seedy as our 
native varieties. Like our own sorts, they are very astringent 
when picked before ripe, as they must be in order to reach 
market. I pick my native sorts all the way from the first of 
September to the last of December—storing them in baskets 
in cool rooms until they soften. The Japanese dry the per- 
simmon, like figs, without the addition of sugar; and this 
dried fruit, as I have tasted it, is as sweet and rich as Smyrna 
figs. 
I have tested the pawpaw also in central New York, 
and find it as hardy as it is in Ohio and Indiana. I have 
also seen it growing in the river bottoms of Michigan. The 
leaf is hardly distinguishable from that of the native per- 
simmon, but the tree, instead of growing thirty feet high, 
makes only a large bush, ten or twelve feet high. A pecu- 
liarity of the pawpaw is its fondness for water. A drought 
will either ruin the crop altogether or spoil the flavor. The 
shape of the pawpaw is like a banana of three to five inches 
in length. The skin is very thin, and the contents are like 
whipped and sweetened cream. ‘The blossom is very pecu- 
The fruit grows in 
doublets and triplets, and sometimes in bunches of four. 
