ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
VOL. XI. 
APRIL, 1889. 
NO. 4, 
The Jujube in Japan. 
The genus Zizyphus contains several spe- 
cies scattered far and wide over the globe, 
which furnish edible fruits of fair quality, 
commonly called jujubes. One of these, Z. 
vulgaris, var. inermis, which is also found 
over a large portion of Asia and Southern 
Europe, is quite largely cultivated in Japan, 
and in early Fall its fruit may be found, 
for a short season ,on the fruit stands in near- 
ly every town in the country. The accom- 
panying cut, fig. 1559j4, 
is an accurate represen- 
tation of a flowering twig 
of this tree, somewhat re- 
duced, and of its fruit; 
the latter both whole and 
in section. They were 
drawn, natural size, by a 
native artist who has 
faithfully reproduced 
them’. The single flower 
at a has been enlarged to 
show its structure. 
I have seen many trees 
of this species, some of 
them very old. One vener- 
able tree in an old garden 
formerly belonging to the 
Tycoon, is nearly 3 feet 
in diameter at the base 
and about 40 feet high 
with a large spreading 
crown. The blasts of a cen- 
tury have left their mark upon it: the trunk 
is twisted and inclined and the bark ve y 
rough, cracked and fissured, but the top is as 
sound as ever and year after year produces 
heavy crops. 
This species is ornamental as well as use- 
ful, and deserves a place in the grounds of 
every American home where the rigor of 
winter does not render its culture impracti- 
cable. It will bear considerable frost and can 
probably be grown wherever the tempera- 
ture does not fall much below zero. It will 
certainly bear as much cold as the Japanese 
persimmon. While young the tree has an 
upright growth with but little tendency to 
spread; but those old trees which have come 
under my observation have had a dense, 
wide-spreading top, which in spite of the 
small leaves have afforded good shade. The 
branches are not thorny, as is the case with 
some of the other species of the genus. The 
young shoots are numerous, but slender and 
pliable, and a casual observer might take 
a twig and its leaves early in the season for 
a pinnate leaf. The leaves are small but 
graceful, the upper surface dark green and 
shining, lighter below and mostly two-rank- 
ed. The flowers are inconspicuous, green- 
ish yellow little affairs, which appear in 
small clusters in the axils of the leaves on 
the current year’s growth. It blooms late 
for a fruit tree, in the latitude of Tokio 
not till the beginning of July. This fact 
renders blossoms safe from destruction by 
cold and insures fruit as far north as the 
tree can stand the winters. The fruit is 
ripe in three months from the blossom. 
Some horticultural writers have described 
it as scarlet, which is a mistake; here it is 
russet or dull brown when fully ripe. In 
shape it is oblong and contains a cylindri- 
cal, pointed stone or hard seed. When ful- 
ly ripe it has a pleasant and very sweet 
taste, but the flesh is dry and spongy, pecu- 
liarities which detract from its value for 
The Jujube. Fig. 1559J4. 
eating out of hand; but it is much esteemed 
for pickles and preserves. After ripening 
it deteriorates fast by drying up and losing 
what little juice it has. The Japanese name 
for this fruit is “Natsume,” which literally 
means a‘ ‘summer plum.” — C.C. Georgeson. 
Seasonable Suggestions. 
Caution is necessary in planting a peach 
orchard on land that has been planted to 
corn the preceding year. If the corn was 
lousy, the newly planted trees will be af- 
fected and seriously injured. When such 
land is planted to the peach it is always 
best to mix with the soil, in the bottom of 
the hole, a quantity of wood ashes, and also 
to spread some around the tree after it is 
set. Two or three quarts are sufficient. A 
larger quantity may be used with safety if 
spread evenly over the surface extending in 
a circle of three or more feet from the tree. 
It is a common error to place all fertili- 
zers around the butts of trees. The roots 
are widely extended, and are longer than 
the tops, and cover much more ground. All 
plant food is taken from near the end of the 
roots and all manures should be evenly 
spread in growing orchards broadcast over 
the entire surface. The roots will find it. 
If spread near the butt, where there are no 
feeding roots worth mentioning, the value 
of the manure is lost and if the manure is 
very caustic the tree will be injured also. 
Many farms have old pear trees upon 
them that are worthless. 
These should all be top- 
ped, by lopping off the 
limbs a foot or two from 
the body of the tree. If 
the top is high, cut as low 
as possible. The tree will 
throw out many sprouts, 
which may be readily 
grafted the fol 1 o wi n g 
year and a new tree 
made of desirable fruit, 
of a much lower habit 
and much easier to gath- 
er than if the top were 
grafted without cutting. 
The tree should not be 
robbed of every limb at 
a single cutting, it is 
necessary to leave some 
to give sustenance to the 
tree. 
When large, vigorous 
apple trees are to be graft- 
ed, it is always best if 
possible to graft the cen- 
ter of the tree as low 
down as the tree will ad- 
mit. Fully one-half of 
the center of the top 
should be cut out and set 
to grafts, leaving the out- 
side branches to remain. The second year, 
graft all that failed to take and one half 
the ungrafted remainder. The third 
year complete the grafting. The outside 
branches the first year protect the inside 
grafts from injury by being blown off, par- 
tially so the second year, and the third year 
the older grafts, in return, save the younger 
ones from injury. The trees are thus grad- 
ually changed into new kinds without in- 
jury to the health of the tree. 
An excellent plan for mulching young 
trees is to cover the mulch, after spreading, 
with three or four inches of earth. This 
keeps the soil below moist and cool and 
causes a rapid growth of wood. It is far 
