THE CHINESE JUJUBE 11 



below the surface of the soil. After tying the graft with raffia and 

 waxing it, the soil should be replaced and heaped up sufficiently high 

 to cover the scion to a depth of 1 to V/2 inches, as in the case of the 

 bench grafts. 



Where large seedling trees several years old are available or where 

 stocks are too large to be successfully whipgrafted. the cleftgraft 

 has been used. The operation is the same as for other fruits. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR UTILIZING THE JUJUBE 



Meyer found that the Chinese make use of the jujube in a number 

 of ways. He says : " The fruits are eaten fresh, sun-dried, baked in 

 bread, stewed with rice, millet, or meat. They are also prized for 

 medicinal purposes, especially when several years old. 5 ' As regards 

 food value, the jujube stands high among fruits, as shown by analysis. 

 It may be utilized as a fresh ripe fruit or in the dried condition. 

 While not as desirable to eat out of hand as some other fruits, it is 

 superior to most of them when put up as a confection. It has a 

 distinct and pleasing flavor, making the fruit highly desirable. It 

 can be used in many ways in the home. Directions for utilizing the 

 fruit in various ways are given here, and these can be modified to 

 meet the requirements of persons using them. They are offered 

 chiefly as suggestions. 



JUJUBE CONFECTION 



The fruit of the jujube has been used more extensively in the 

 United States as a confection than for any other purpose. It is also 

 used in this way in China, where it is esteemed highly as a gift. To 

 prepare the fruit as a confection it is necessar} T to cook it in sirup. 



The thick skin of the fruit should be punctured or cut in some way 

 before it is put into the sirup. The Chinese score or cut through it, 

 using a bundle of small knives. The surface of the entire fruit is 

 scored with this instrument. This permits the sirup to penetrate and 

 gives a plump, attractive appearance to the finished product. 



An instrument such as this will answer very well for this work, 

 but if the quantity of fruit is too large to be handled in this way. or 

 if one does not care to go to the trouble of making such an instru- 

 ment, various other methods of puncturing the fruit may be used. 

 When the number of fruits is small, a common table fork will suffice. 

 The fruit is punctured three or four times with the fork as it is 

 turned with the thumb and finger. This will allow the sirup to pen- 

 etrate as the fruit is cooking. When a considerable quantity of 

 fruit is to be processed, some kind of needle board should be made. 

 This may be done by driving small brads through a piece of thin, 

 even-grained box lumber, preferably from one-fourth to one-half 

 inch in thickness. 



The fruit should be punctured, placed in the sirup, and cooked 

 from 20 to 35 minutes, the time depending on the size of the fruit. 

 It is then allowed to cool in the sirup, after which it is again boiled 

 for the same length of time. It is then taken out and placed on trays 

 for drying, either in the sun or by artificial means. In the early fall 

 3 or 4 days in the sun will suffice to dry the fruit, but as the intensity 

 of the heat decreases later in the season, more time will be required. 



