PERSIMMON. Diospyros. The American persimmon, D. Virginiana, is a small tree, though sometimes it is found from forty to fifty feet high. It is eommon south of forty degrees and rare North, seldom being found as high as forty-two degrees. Grown if there is plenty of room, the tree is round topped or conical, rather open, and with the branches more or less twisted. The fruit varie3 from the size of a small plum to that of a medium sized peach, and when green is very astringent. When ripe or when mel lowed with the frost, it is sweet and luscious, and generally liked. It is very much prone to sport, and hence it is supposed that it may be capable of wide improvement. In fact, in Japan there are exeeedingly fine varieties in cultivation. Those imported have not proved hardy in the North. It is the Diospyros kaki, of the nurseries. The Japanese, by a course of cross fertilization and selection, it is said, have brought this fruit to great perfection. It is there a regular com mercial fruit, and those not eonsumed at home are dried like figs which they resemble, and are ex-ported. In the Indian Territory, where the persimmon is at home, and grows abundantly, the Indians use large quantities, and also pre serve the fruit, making of it a preparation, after the manner of making apple butter. It is to
be hoped that horticulturists, at the North, will select hardy varieties, and improve this fruit, so we may have it fresh in our markets. In faet the trade in shipping this fruit from southern Indiana, and Illinois, during its season, to Chi migo, has been considerable in former years, and is still eontinued; much of it, however, was unripe, and this prevented its use. To introduce any new fruit, especial care should be taken to have it prime. The wood of the persimmon is fine, hard grained, elastic and heavy, and is valu able for turning and other purposes. As an ornamental tree it is fine, and should be found in every collection up to the latitude of forty two degrees, where it can have some proteetion in winter. The seed should be sown in the fall and transplanted at one year old. It is a tap rooted plant and therefore does not transplant well when _older.