BOTANIC Ali I\ DI'V 
U 
DIOSPYROti VI R GIN I A N A . Linn^us. 
[ American Persimmon . ] 
F all our native fruits, perhaps none are so little known, and at the same 
time so familiarly spoken of by the mass of people, as the common American 
Persimmon — the Diospyros Virginiana of botanists. Very few people living 
north of 40" north latitude ever see a tree or even the fruit; for although 
the tree is perfectly hardy at least two degrees further north — and withal 
a very ornamental one, especially in autumn when it is covered with its 
golden fruit — yet, for some unaccountable reason, it seems to be scarce 
among collections of choice trees, especially native ornamental trees. We 
think it a mistaken idea that somehow seems to have taken possession of most of our 
landscape gardeners and arboriculturists, that our native trees are not handsome, and 
worthy a place in parks and other places especially adapted for them. For this 
reason we have selected for a subject to talk about in this number of the Index, the 
common North American Persimmon, and hope it may be a means of stimulating 
inquiry and observation among tree planters regarding them. Perhaps we might 
