THIRTY-THIRD BIENNIAR SESSION 
49 
Those who have studied the persimmon, even at an early date, have 
prophesied its early advent as one of our valuable orchard fruits. However* 
through lack of knowledge or interest, and a prejudice induced by the 
strongly astringent qualities that prevail at the time of the most alluring 
colors in the fruit, effort at varietal development has turned to other 
abundant, though often less nutritious, wild species. Only here and there 
in the thinner settled sections of the country, and generally among the 
owners of small farms, has the value of these fruits been appreciated or 
any attempt made to collect the types and improve the varieties; and these 
attempts in nearly all cases have been made by one man alone. There is 
no record of two generations of the same family having carried on 
work in this line. If the selection and improvement of this fruit had been 
begun in this country four hundred years ago, as it began in China and 
Japan four thousand years ago, there is reason to assume that we could 
now be growing varieties equal to, if not better, than any now produced 
in the Orient. 
Propagation. Wild persimmons having in the sap of the growing cambium 
layer a large amount of sugar as well as tannin are difficult to propagate. 
Among other trees, the propagation of which has proven more or less 
difficult, for similar reasons probably, are such nut trees as the Persian and 
Black walnuts, chestnuts and oaks. 
In talking with members of the biochemical staff of the U. S. D. A., — - 
Dr. J. A. LeClerc and J. F. Breazeale — points brought out as to the possible 
relationship between the contstituents of the growing sap and methods of 
grafting were discussed. It was suggested that certain saline solutions 
might be used to advantage; also that knife blades, if composed of either 
a high grade of very hard nickel, or cobalt steel, would reduce the action 
of the tannin in tree saps and in many cases prevent the action of enzymes, 
thereby facilitating these operations. 
In the work carried on at the Arlington Farm during the past season, it 
has been proved that the persimmon can be propagated any time from the 
beginning of the growing period and continuing as long as the bark will 
slip easily. This period covers the time in which the more active vegetative 
growth of the persimmon is taking place. Budding or grafting by any of 
the well-known methods seems to be equally satisfactory. The main points 
to be taken into consideration are that the cuts be clean and smooth and 
that the air be excluded entirely from the surfaces which are expected to 
unite. 
The following recipes are offered as indicating a few of the many ways 
in which this really delicious fruit may be served: 
Persimmon — Cooking Recipes. 
On account of the tannin in the flesh of the persimmon being liberated 
by heat it is always well to add to one-half teaspoonful of baking soda (bi- 
carbonate of soda) to each cup full of persimmon pulp in all recipes where 
the persimmons are subject to heat. 
Persimmon Bread. One cup of persimmon pulp. One cup of water. 
One-half teaspoonful of soda. Yeast. Shortening. Flour to make a stif: 
dough. Set to raise, mould, and bake as other bread. 
