14 



AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE ORCHARDS OF CHINA, 



that of the larger kinds. They have the habit of dropping their 

 leaves before the fruit is entirely ripe, and then a large tree heavily 

 laden with bright-orange fruit is one of the most beautiful objects in 

 an autumn landscape. (S. P. I. Nos. 16910 and 22367.) ° 



Another variety bearing small fruit of a yellow color, which con- 

 tains seeds, is called "New sien shi tze." The tree is a slow grower 

 and has a whitish bark. It is a rare local variety, near Pautingfu, 

 Chihli Province, (S. P. I. No. 22368.) 



Another variety of small size, oblong shape, and scarlet color, con- 

 taining seeds, and called "Whoe shi tze," or fire persimmon, comes 

 from the same locality. (S. P. I. No. 22369.) 



In the Provinces of Shantung, Shansi, Shensi, Honan, and 

 Chekiang there are many o^her varieties of persimmons that are 

 still waiting to be introduced. 



Some of the less juicy varieties are used extensively in the manu- 

 facture of dried persimmons. This dried fruit closely resembles figs 

 in appearance and is of an excellent flavor (fig. 4). It can be eaten 



raw or stewed, like 

 dried peaches or apri- 

 cots. Compote can 

 be made from it and 

 is very wholesome. 

 It is very likely that 

 new industries could 

 be built up in those 

 sections of our South- 

 western States where 

 these dry-fruited per- 

 simmons succeed 

 well. 



The writer found a 

 few specimens of ap- 

 parently the true 

 Diospyros ~kaki in a copse near the Tai ching kong temple, Laushan 

 district, eastern Shantung. The trees look exactly like the cultivated 

 D. JcaJci, but the fruit is greenish yellow and of an unpleasant flavor. It 

 is the size of a small plum and the seeds are imperfect. The trees are 

 very rare, and were seen only once. The fact that the priests call them 

 the "Shan shi tze," or wild persimmon, may be an indication of their 

 being the prototype from which the cultivated strains of persimmons, 

 in northern China at least, have been derived. 



« This variety was apparently described by Carriere as Diospyros costata in the 



Revue Horticole, 1870, p. 132, also 1871, p. 410, where a. colored drawing of the fruit 



is given. It seems, however, that the Costata variety of kaki of the American trade 



is quite a different variety, being of a pointed shape and only very slightly furrowed. 



204 



Fig. 4.— Large dried persimmons, said to have come from northern 



Honan, China. They are an excellent dried fruit, as extensively 



used in China as the dried fig is in America. Often eaten stewed 

 like dried peaches or apricots. 



