JAPANESE PLUMS AND PERSIMMONS IN SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 



491 



vigorous-growing weeds, if it be left alone. One or 

 two plowings could easily be given without in any 

 way damaging the crop ; but it would probably pay 

 better to harvest and replant, for if a crop of pota- 

 toes were allowed to stand as indicated, they would 

 cost considerably in the harvesting. When digging, 

 all tubers that show a second growth should be 

 picked out and laid aside in a damp place, and used 

 for planting a fall crop. By this means, I believe, 

 a full crop of fall potatoes could be secured, and 

 potatoes otherwise useless turned to good account. 



Heavy rains will soon occur, so that the sooner the 

 spring planted crop is harvested and disposed of, 

 the better. Should the weather turn dry and the 

 crop become fully ripe, this second growth would 

 produce only a large quantity of small, unmarket- 

 able potatoes, and that, too, at the expense of the 

 earlier formed tubers. 



Baton Rouge, Louisiana. H. W. Smith. 



[The specimens are the best examples of second 

 growth in the hill which we have ever seen. — Ed. 

 American Garden.] 



JAPANESE PLUMS AND PERSIMMONS IN THE SOUTH 



ATLANTIC STATES. 



CALIFORNIA correspondent 

 says: "The Oriental fruits 

 will never succeed here as they 

 will in your southern states, 

 which as to climatic condi- 

 tions are the very counterpart 

 of the Empires of China and 

 Japan." This evidence from 

 a prominent authority is inducement enough to en- 

 courage the trial of these excellent fruits. We have 

 gone far enough with our experiments to know that 

 there is very little risk in planting either oriental 

 plums or persimmons. We have had both fruiting 

 here at Waycross for several years past, and the 

 more we become acquainted with them the more 

 confidence we have in their successful cultivation, 

 not only in this immediate section, but generally 

 over the states of the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 

 There is some uncertainty in regard to the varieties 

 of the plums, and the persimmons are badly mixed 

 up. 



Among the plums fruited here beside the Japan Kelsey, 

 which is too well known to need description, we would 

 mention the Botan and Chabct. We have four trees of 

 the former, no one of which appears to be exactly like 

 either of the others. The fruit all looks and tastes very 

 nearly the same, but the trees seem to have different 

 habits. However, they are all vigorous growers and 

 prolific bearers, and the differences in their appearance 

 may be caused by some natural characteristic of the 

 stocks upon which they are worked, as we purchased 

 the trees and are not certain that they are all on the 

 same kind of roots. 



We have only one bearing tree of the Chabot. It is 

 a little better grower than the Botan, but so far has not 

 been quite so prolific. The fruit is almost identical with 

 it in size, shape, color and flavor, but commences ripen- 

 ing just about the time the Botans are nearly through, 

 thus giving a continuous succession of plums from June 

 10 until the Kelseys come in about July 15. Other va- 



rieties are equally as promising. The Satsuma or Blood 

 we have fruited this year for the first time. From pres- 

 ent appearance it will doubtless be excellent. The 

 Burbank promises much. 



The behavior of all this class is so satisfactory that 

 fruit growers can plant with little risk of investing in a 

 novelty of doubtful value. The Kelsey is an established 

 factor in the horticulture of the south, and though the 

 other sorts are not so thoroughly established, we have 

 learned enough to say they are a decided success. 



It is hard to find a fruit that can excel a well-ripened 

 plum or peach, but we have surely found it in the kaki 

 or Japanese persimmon. It is " food fit for gods. " The 

 " golden apples of Hesperides " might have been worth 

 risking much for, but we'll venture the assertion that had 

 the ancients been acquainted with our modern kakis 

 the legend would have been differently related so far as 

 the apples are concerned. They are decidedly the best 

 and most luscious fruit we have ever seen. Among the 

 varieties fruited here, we mention Tane Nashi, H yakumei 

 Hachija, Kuro Kume, Yemon and Dai Dai Maru. They 

 are all fine varieties and are well adapted to our soil and 

 climate. They are all known under perhaps half a dozen 

 different names in Japan, and it will take some time yet 

 to classify them correctly here, as the confusion in no- 

 menclature has unavoidably been imported with them. 



There is no doubt about their value to southern horti- 

 culture. The same authority quoted above says ; "The 

 persimmon is hardy everywhere south of Washington, 

 and is growing in sheltered localities in some parts of 

 Pennsylvania and New Jersey." We have written sev- 

 eral letters of inquiry concerning this subject to promi- 

 nent fruit growers all over the south, and with one ex- 

 ception the replies have been favorable. All things con- 

 sidered, we find that the indications for a new impetus 

 to be given southern fruit growing are favorable, and we 

 would simply say to California, look to your laurels ; 

 Florida is already disputing your right to first place in 

 the production of citrus fruits, and Georgia is not long 

 going to remain behind you on other things. 



South East Georgia. S. L. Bishop. 



