THE CHINESE JUJUBE 7 



is of medium, size, three-fourths to 1% inches in length, one-fourth 

 to three-eighths inch in greatest diameter, and widest near the distal 

 end, which is terminated by a long sharp spine. 



LI 



The Li variety (P. I. no. 38249), which is the largest-fruited intro- 

 duction and was said by Meyer to be the largest known, is one of the 

 best to eat as it comes from the tree, and it ripens the latest by 1 to 2 

 weeks. The fruit is 1% to 2 inches in length, 1 to 2 inches in 

 greatest diameter, and has a flesh which is crisp and processes well. 

 The stone, while large, is smaller in proportion to the size of the 

 fruit than those in the other three varieties. It is three-fourths to 

 1 inch in length, three-eighths to one-half inch in greatest diameter, 

 and tapers abruptly toward the distal end, terminating in a short, 

 thick spine. 



The color of the fruit has not been discussed in these descriptions 

 because it is not sufficiently distinct to be a varietal character. It 

 varies with the different stages of maturity, appearing first on the 

 green fruit as reddish-brown spots (fig. 3) that gradually increase 

 in size until they finally merge. The color of the fruit is dark chest- 

 nut brown when these spots have all united. The fruit loses mois- 

 ture and begins to wrinkle within a very few days after it has 

 become fully colored. 



The fleshy portion of the jujube fruit is drier than that of our 

 common fruits. It does not vary sufficiently to become a varietal 

 character. The flesh of the Li variety is more crisp than that of 

 the other three varieties and is not quite so dry. 



The date of ripening varies greatly. The fruit begins to ripen 

 early in August in some portions of Texas and California, while in 

 others it does not ripen until the first or middle of September. The 

 ripening period in a given locality continues for 6 or 8 weeks, be- 

 ginning with the fruit on the old wood and ending with that on the 

 growth of the present year. 



All varieties of jujubes come into bearing at an early age. Fre- 

 quently the young plants in a nursery row bear fruit in less than 1 

 year, and under favorable conditions they may yield abundantly the 

 second and third years after planting. 



PROPAGATION 



The jujube may be propagated by means of seeds, cuttings, buds, 

 and grafts. 



SEEDS 



Seedling plants bear small fruits, most of which are little more 

 than skin and seeds and are of value chiefly as stocks upon which 

 to graft the large-fruited varieties. Seeds of the large-fruited va- 

 rieties have a very low percentage of germination, whereas those 

 of the small-fruited seedlings have a germination varying from 25 

 to 95 percent. 



The fruit should be gathered as soon as it is ripe and covered with 

 water or buried in wet soil. Under these conditions it will have 

 fermented and decayed sufficiently in a week or 10 days to make it 

 possible to remove the seeds without difficulty. After "t he pulp has 



