1883.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
323 
are laid with 1-inch dressed and matched 6 or 8-inch 
flooring. A wagon-room 12 feet high is fitted with 
a windlass for raising and lowering the wagon box, 
hay racks, etc. Two ventilating cupolas are thor¬ 
oughly secured to the roof and made water-tight 
around the base. The outside is painted with two 
Fig. 7.—SIDE VIEW OP HORSE STALLS. 
coats, the colors to suit the owner. All the ma¬ 
terials are first class, and the entire building is 
thoroughly and completely finished. 
Estimate of material and Labor. 
Basement , Oak Timber. 
4 Sills 8 by 10, 20 feet long. 
2 Sills 8 by 10,27 feet long. 
1 Sill 8 by 10,24 feet long. 
1 Sill 8 by 10,18 feet long. 
2 Sills 8 by 10, 20 feet long. 
3 Sills 8 by 8, 22 feet long. 
3 Sills 8 by 8,17 feet long. 
3 Sills 8 by 8,19 feet long. 
12 Posts 10by 10,9K feet long. 
7 Posts 8 by 8, 9)f feet long. 
12 Posts 6 by 6, 9^ feet long. 
50 Joists 3 by 8,13 feet long. 
20 Joists 3 by 8,11 feet long. 
Amounting to 4,732 feet, at 
$22 per 1,000, $124.39. 
For Basement , Pine, Spruce 
or Hemlock. 
50 Pieces 4 by 4,18 feet long. 
30 Pieces 4 by 4, 14 feet long. 
At $18 per 1,000, $31.68, $156.07 
2,800 feet 2 by 12 plank, 16 feet, at $16 per M. 
1,400 feet 2 by 12 plank, 12 feet, at $16. 
900 feet 2 by 12 plank, 10 feet, at $16. 
350 feet 1-inch matched flooring, at $20. 
1,500 feet 1 by 12 stock boards, at $17.. 
900 feet battens, at 80 cents per 100. 
7 windows, 4 lights 12 by 16, at $1.25. 
5 windows, 8 lights 12 by 14, at $2.25. 
$44.80 
22.40 
14.40 
7.00 
25.50 
7.20 
8.75 
Main Building. 
8 Sills 10 by 10, 20 feet long) 
4 Sills 10 by 10, 18 feet long [ 
4 Sills 10 by 10,24 feet long I 
(Spliced to made long sills') 
5 Sills 10 by 10, 28 feet long) 
5 Sills 10 by 10,14 feet long ( 
(Spliced for cross sills.) 
16 Posts 8 by 8, 22 feet long. 
10 Posts 8 by 8,18 feet long. 
5 Beams 8 by 8, 40 feet long. 
2 Ties 8 by 10, 20 feet long. 
2 Ties 6 by 8,22 feet long. 
1 Tie 6 by 8, 20 feet long. 
4 Plates 8 by 8, 40 feet long, 
spliced. 
4 Purline plates 8 by 8, 40 
feet long, spliced. 
4.500 feet roofing, at $12 per M. $54.00 
33,000 18-inch shingles, at $4.50 . 148.50 
3000 feet 1 by 12 stock boards dressed, 22 feet long... 54.00 
3.500 feet 1 by 12 stock boards dressed, 18 feet long... 63.00 
4,800 feet battens, 80 cents per 100 . 38.40 
6,000 feet 6 inch D. and M. flooring, at $20. 120.00 
3,500 feet 2 by 10 D. and M. plank, at $20. 70.C0 
10 windows, 8 lights 12 by 14, at $2.25. 22.50 
$1,098.94 
Basement lumber. .. 297.37 
$297.37 
10 Purline posts 8 by 8,12 feet 
10 PurUne braces 6 by 8, 12 
feet long. 
4 Pieces 6 by 6,12 feet long. 
12 Pieces 6 by 6,14 feet long. 
8 Pieces 6 by 6,18 feet long. 
200 Joists 2 by 10,14 feet long. 
24 Joists 2 by 8,16 feet long. 
90 Joists 2 by 8, 14 feet long. 
100 Pieces 4 by 4,14 feet long. 
30 Pieces 4 by 4,18 feet long. 
50 Pieces 4 by 4,16 feet long. 
40 Pieces 2 by 4,18 feet long. 
76 Rafters 3 by 5,28 feet long. 
Amounting to 26,427 feet at 
$20 per 1,000.$528.54 
$1,396.31 
200 Perches stone laid 16X feet to perch, at $1. 200.00 
1,200 pounds nails, spikes and bolts.■. 50.00 
Eave troughs and conductors. 25.00 
Hinges, trimmings, etc. 40.00 
Painting. 100.00 
Carpenter work. 400.00 
Extras. 14.34 
Total.$2,225.65 
Possibilities of the Japan Persimmon. 
BY CHARLES H. SHIRK, ALAMEDA CO., CAL. 
The Japan Persimmon (Diospyrus Kaki) has been 
largely planted in California, and is now coming 
into bearing. Last year the fruit was first offered 
for sale, and the few specimens in market brought 
25 cents each. This year the quantity was very 
much increased, and the price only 10 cents per 
pound. The tree is a handsome one, and is worth 
planting for ornament. The large, luxuriant leaves 
change in the autumu to a bright red or yellow be¬ 
fore they fall. The fruit is showy and high-colored, 
and might be mistaken for fine, ripe, red tomatoes. 
We have learned,from the Chinamen in our employ, 
a method of ripening that is very successful. They 
pick the fruit when it has attained its full high 
color—but before it softens—and put it in water for 
twenty-four hours, then into a box, with layers of 
leaves, until it softens a little. The box is cov¬ 
ered and put in a moderately warm place. When 
treated in this way, the fruit is free from objec¬ 
tionable astringency, and has a fine flavor. Coming 
after peaches are gone, the Persimmon has an ad¬ 
ditional value, and it is the general opinion of 
those who have tried it, that it will become one of 
the standard market fruits in California. In the 
Southern States, Georgia, Florida, etc., it is becom¬ 
ing popular. There is a wild Persimmon in the 
Eastern States, but it is not much larger than a 
green gage plum, while the Japanese variety has 
been grown weighing 131 ounces. This tree will 
not bear the extreme cold of the Northern States, 
but would no doubt thrive in Southern England or 
France. This fruit has long been known in Europe; 
it is noteworthy that it has not been more culti¬ 
vated. Perhaps the best varieties, like the “Seed¬ 
less,” “Among,” “Kuru Kume,” “Haychuya,” 
and “ Die Die Maru,” have not been carried there. 
The small, inferior kinds are not worth cultivating. 
Specimens of the fruit sent from here to Baltimore 
and other Eastern cities last fall, arrived in the best 
condition, and it is evident that it will bear the 
journey better than pears, grapes, plums, or any 
other fruit known to the trade, not excepting the 
orange. There need be no waste, and the markets 
of the West can be supplied with California-grown 
Persimmons of the choicest varieties. The ex¬ 
treme South will naturally supply the Atlantic sea¬ 
board in ten years from now. There are no large 
orchards in California as yet. A twenty-acre or¬ 
chard near San Jose was planted about four or five 
years ago, but being badly cared for, has not yet 
amounted to much. The high price of the trees 
for some time after their introduction delayed 
planting on an extensive scale, and every one was 
content to wait and see whether the fruit was 
worth anything. It is quite possible, now that 
its value is established, that Persimmon may 
soon be extensively planted on the Pacific slope. 
How to Prune Quinces. 
BY W. W. MEECH. 
A symmetrical form is readily secured by begin¬ 
ning with the young trees, and rubbing off the 
buds where limbs are not wanted, thereby direct¬ 
ing their strength into desired channels. If super¬ 
numerary branches have already started, they. 
\ 
Fig. 1.— DIFFERENT FORMS OF BRANCHES. 
should be cut out, and any that are growing too 
long and slender should be shortened. Haphazard 
pruning is almost sure to be bad. I rub off many 
buds the first year, and cut all trees back, whether 
they are transplanted or not. A sharp knife makes 
a smooth cut that soon heals over; but good prun¬ 
ing shears are preferable, on account of the greater 
rapidity of doing the work. The cut should be 
made far enough above the bud, so that it will not 
dry out, and near enough to grow over as the tree 
enlarges. When an upright growth is desired, cut 
down to a bud on the inside of the twig. To 
spread the limbs, cut to leave the bud on the out¬ 
side. Cutting off most of the very small twigs 
along the branches keeps the branches smooth, and 
saves strength that would otherwise be wasted. 
A wise pruning promotes growth as well as sym¬ 
metry. If a tree has too great a proportion of top 
for the roots, the supply of material for its nour¬ 
ishment will be only thinly diffused, and a feeble 
growth will follow. The age of the tree, and the 
thriftiness or feebleness manifested, must all be 
taken into consideration in determining how far 
cutting back should be carried. I often find it 
necessary to rub off and cut out several buds and 
shoots at one point. No less than four often start 
from some of the outer buds. It is worth while 
to go over the trees for this purpose a number of 
times during the growing season, because one 
strong shoot is worth more than two or three 
feeble ones having the same amount of material 
divided between them. 
Figure 1, a, shows the favorable age at which to 
rub off all but one bud. The buds are developed 
at b, and need the knife to cut out the supernum¬ 
eraries. The vigor of shoots where the extras 
Fig. 2.— unpruned quince.— (From a photograph.) 
were rubbed off or cut out in season, is shown at c. 
If shoots have made a vigorous growth, remove 
about half their length. If a shoot has grown two 
feet, I generally cut back about one-half ; if five 
or six feet, about two-thirds the length. Treated 
in this way, they push vigorous side shoots, and 
make a lower head, which is less affected by the 
winds; and however heavy the fruitage, the 
branches never break. I herewith present two 
photographic views of a tree now five years old, 
which has been pruned each year as above de¬ 
scribed, and beariug the last two years. It made a 
very small growth the first year, and was cut back 
to within six inches of the ground. It then, the 
second year, sent up four shoots about five feet 
high, and, these being cut back, threw out side 
shoots that formed the head, which is now stand¬ 
ing eight feet and five inches high. 
The third object in pruuing is to promote greater 
fruitfulness, and it should be so done as to secure 
all of the desired ends. When I once offered to 
prune the trees of a neighbor, he said : “ Do you 
think you can improve on nature ?” I replied in the 
language of the Great Teacher: “ Every branch that 
beareth not fruit, the husbandman taketh away; 
and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, 
that it may bring forth more fruit.” The pruuer 
Fig.3.— the quince peuned. — (From a photograph.) 
should keep in mind the principles that require an 
open head, and should not allow the limbs to cross 
so as to chafe each other. I cut back all my trees 
from year to year, as they increase in size and mul¬ 
tiply their branches. As a result, besides great 
fruitfulness, they are admired by all. 
