UMIVEBSITY OF CALIFOBNIA PUBLICATIONS 
 
 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL 
 PERSIMMON 
 
 BY 
 
 I. J. CONDIT 
 
 BULLETIN No. 316 
 
 December, 1919 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS 
 
 BERKELEY 
 
 1919 
 
EXPERIMENT STATION STAFF 
 
 Heads of Divisions 
 
 Thomas Forsyth Hunt, Dean. 
 
 Edward J. Wickson, Horticulture (Emeritus). 
 
 Walter Mulford, Forestry, Director of Resident Instruction. 
 
 Herbert J. Webber, Director Agricultural Experiment Station. 
 
 B. H. Crocheron, Director of Agricultural Extension. 
 Hubert E. Van Norman, Vice-Director; Dairy Management. 
 
 James T. Barrett, Acting Director of Citrus Experiment Station; Plant Pathology. 
 William A. Setchell, Botany. 
 Myer E. Jaffa, Nutrition. 
 Charles W. Woodworth, Entomology. 
 Ralph E. Smith, Plant Pathology. 
 J. Eliot Coit, Citriculture. 
 John W. Gilmore, Agronomy. 
 Charles F, Shaw, Soil Technology. 
 John W. Gregg, Landscape Gardening and Floriculture. 
 Frederic T. Bioletti, Viticulture and Enology. 
 Warren T. Clarke, Agricultural Extension. 
 John S. Burd, Agricultural Chemistry. 
 Charles B. Lipman, Soil Chemistry and Bacteriology. 
 Clarence M. Haring, Veterinary Science and Bacteriology. 
 Ernest B. Babcock, Genetics. 
 Gordon H. True, Animal Husbandry. 
 Fritz W. Woll, Animal Nutrition. 
 W. P. Kelley, Agricultural Chemistry. 
 H. J. QuAYLE, Entomology. 
 Elwood Mead, Rural Institutions. 
 H. S. Reed, Plant Physiology. 
 J. C. Whitten, Pomology. 
 IFrank Adams, Irrigation Investigations. 
 
 C. L. Roadhouse, Dairy Industry. 
 R. L. Adams, Farm Management. 
 
 F. L. Griffin, Agricultural Education. 
 John E. Dougherty, Poultry Husbandry. 
 S. S. Rogers, Olericulture. 
 L. J. Fletcher, Agricultural Engineering. 
 Edwin C. Voorhies, Assistant to the Dean. 
 
 Division of Citriculture 
 
 j. e. coit *i. j. condit 
 
 R. W. Hodgson J. C. Johnston 
 
 t In co-operation with office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, U. S. Department of 
 Agriculture. 
 *Re.signed. 
 
THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 BY 
 
 I. J. CONDIT 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 The kaki or Oriental persimmon was introduced into California 
 about 1870 and is now to be found to a greater or less extent in nearly 
 every county in the state. The tree is easily grown, is free from serious 
 diseases and insect pests, and is in most cases exceedingly prolific. The 
 fruit is very attractive in appearance, ships well to both local and 
 distant markets, and is almost universally liked if eaten in the proper 
 condition. Why then has the persimmon remained one of our minor 
 fruits rather than taken its place among the leading fruits as it has in 
 Japan? Various reasons may be assigned for its lack of popularity, 
 chief among which are the following: the general lack of knowledge 
 among consumers as to the value of the fruit and its proper condition 
 for eating; the failure of the growers and the marketing agencies to 
 advertise the fruit and educate the public in regard to its proper use; 
 the grower's lack of attention to the subject of varieties, pollination, 
 natural and artificial ripening; the failure of growers to develop the 
 industry in by-products such as dried persimmons. There is little 
 doubt that persimmon culture can be made a much greater industry 
 in California if some of the points just mentioned are carefully studied 
 and understood. 
 
 According to the census report of 1910 there were 3,274 bearing 
 trees in California and 8,801 non-bearing. In 1909 these produced 
 2,696 bushels of fruit valued at $3,344, an insignificant item compared 
 to the values of other common fresh fruits. That the interest in per- 
 simmon culture has considerably increased during the past decade and 
 especially during the last two or three years is shown by the larger 
 plantings and by the numerous requests for information regarding var- 
 ieties, stocks, and cultural methods. It is difficult to determine the 
 present acreage since the trees are scattered in small plantings. Com- 
 mercial orchards are located at Oroville, Napa, Vacaville, Newcastle, 
 Penryn, Lemon Cove, Bakersfield, Sanger, Del Rey, San Dimas, Mon- 
 rovia, Glendora, Los Angeles, Orange, Placentia, Riverside, and Santa 
 Barbara. Orchards larger than any so far planted, would have been 
 
232 UNIVERSITY OF CvVLIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 set out this season had suitable trees been available. The fruit is 
 shipped to eastern markets in half-car and occasionally full-car lots 
 and is becoming better known to consumers each season. The gross 
 returns per acre in favorable locations show a handsome profit when 
 compared with the returns from some other deciduous fruits. While 
 it may not be wise to develop any extensive acreage of persimmons 
 which might tax the capacity of the markets, a steady increase is cer- 
 tainly justified in view of past experience. 
 
 HISTORY (7)* 
 
 The persimmon is an important fruit tree both in China and in 
 Japan. In northern China certain valleys are entirely given over to 
 its cultivation while on the main island of Japan groups of the trees 
 are found in every village along the roadsides or in odd corners around 
 farmer's cottages. 
 
 It is probable that the first trees of the kaki grown in North America 
 were from seeds obtained in Japan and sent here by Commodore Perry 
 in 1856; these were planted at the Naval Observatory in Washington, 
 D. C. 
 
 The first fruits were produced on these trees in 1860. No seedlings, 
 however, were distributed and none propagated, and the old trees died. 
 Mr. Wm. Saunders of the Department of Agriculture imported a lot 
 of seeds from Japan in 1863. The seedlings were distributed for trial 
 and one tree at least bore about a bushel of fruit. In 1870 the Depart- 
 ment imported a lot of grafted trees of naraed varieties, which were 
 distributed in California and the Gulf States. The Hachiya, Tane- 
 nashi, and Yemon were among the first varieties to be established and 
 the nomenclature determined. Since that time a large number of 
 importations have been made, not only by the Department but by 
 nurserymen and growers and widely disseminated throughout the 
 Southern States and in California. 
 
 In 1877 it was stated in the California Horticulturist (2) that "there 
 can be no doubt of its being successfully cultivated in most parts of 
 California and it has already fruited with large and handsome specimens 
 at Col. Hollister's place, Santa Barbara. Its average weight given is 
 from half a pound to over a pound. Four varieties have been lately 
 introduced into California, both in the south and at Santa Barbara." 
 It was also introduced into San Francisco by the Rev. Henry Loomis 
 at Trunbull's Seed Store, 421 Sansome Street, where specimens of 
 tree and fruit were exhibited. 
 
 *Numbers in parentheses refer to bibliography. 
 
Bulletin 316 the KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 233 
 
 The Rural New Yorker noted about the same date that this per- 
 simmon was sent to the United States by Mr. Thos. Hogg about ten 
 years previous and was being offered by nurserymen east as well as west. 
 
 Yearly importations of trees from Japanese nurseries were made 
 by the United States Department of Agriculture and in 1878 a large 
 consignment was widely distributed in California. During the next 
 twenty years the demand for trees stimulated nurseries especially in 
 the Southern States to propagate the persimmon and the importations 
 by the Department were greatly curtailed. The introduction of promis- 
 ing varieties however, has continued until the present. Largely as a 
 result of the explorations of the late Frank Meyer in China, some 
 valuable varieties have been secured from that country while some 
 choice, non-astringent varieties have been introducted from Japan. 
 These have been grown and tested at the Plant Introduction Gardens, 
 Chico, and are available to growers who desire plants for trial. 
 
 The California Agricultural Experiment Station has tested out 
 several varieties both at Berkeley and at the various sub-stations. It 
 was reported as early as 1880 (4) that the persimmon ripened fruit at 
 Berkeley, but the fruit was of small size and astringent. There was 
 on hand an assortment of twenty varieties in the nursery. At the 
 Jackson sub-station the trees were found to be healthy, hardy, and seem- 
 ed to be perfectly adapted to the poorest soils. They made a brilliant 
 display of color for several months as the fruits hung on the trees until 
 late in winter. It was thought at the time to have little commercial 
 value although it was considered excellent for home orchards. 
 
 The few trees which were set out in orchards, however, proved pro- 
 fitable as shown by the following report from a grower at Auburn in 
 1908: ''Commission merchants in San Francisco have had repeated 
 calls from Hawaii for all the persimmons that they could obtain. Seattle 
 likewise -has asked San Francisco to ship them large quantities. The 
 few that I grow, I ship by express to New York, packing them thirty 
 in a box, (one layer) and get $1.50 f.o.b. the depot here. I repeatedly 
 received telegraphic orders for more. Single trees of the large variety 
 yielded as much as $13.75 besides the culls. It seems the variety mostly 
 inquired for is the Maru. New York has asked me to grade them next 
 season and pack 34, 38, 42, and 46 in cardboard cartons same as are 
 used for eggs." 
 
 During recent years commercial importations from Japan have been 
 made almost entirely by Japanese nurserymen in the Bay district who 
 redistribute to other nurseries upon order. California nurseries have 
 not, until very recently, found it desirable to propagate the trees in 
 quantity. Since June 1, 1919, however, it has been necessary to depend 
 
234 UNIVERSITY OF Cx\LlFORNlA — EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 entirely upon home-grown trees as Quarantine Order No. 37 of the 
 Federal Horticultural Board forbids further introductions from foreign 
 countries of nursery stock capable of propagation. 
 
 Some of the most recent studies of Japanese persimmons have been 
 made by S. Fujii, a graduate of the University of California. In 1915 
 he made a special trip to Japan to study varieties and collect data 
 regarding the industry, his notes including careful illustrations and 
 descriptions of ninety varieties seen in private as well as in experiment 
 station orchards. He also imported a number of promising varieties, 
 many of which are growing and fruiting at the University Farm, Davis. 
 
 In November 1918, Quarantine Order No. 21 of the California State 
 Commission of Horticulture was amended so as to allow importation 
 into this state from certain southern states, of dormant nursery stock 
 of pear and persimmon varieties providing a permit is first secured from 
 the Commissioner's office. 
 
 BOTANY 
 
 Persimmons belong to the Ebony family and to the genus, Diospyros, 
 from the Greek words Dios and pyros, alluding to the life-giving pro- 
 perties of the fruit. The species of the genus, about one hundred and 
 sixty in number, are widely distributed, mostly in tropical countries 
 of both hemispheres with a few species in temperate regions. The trees 
 produce hard, close-grained, valuable wood, the ebony of commerce 
 being obtained from different tropical species. 
 
 The trees are either dioecious or monoecious, the staminate flowers 
 appearing in the axils of leaves of the previous year ; staminate flowers 
 smaller than the pistillate, commonly in three-flowered cymes; pistillate 
 flowers generally solitary; calyx four-lobed, the lobes contorted in the 
 bud, more or less contracted in the throat, the lobes spreading or recurv- 
 ed ; stamens sixteen to twenty-four in number inserted on the bottom of 
 the corolla in two rows and in pairs ; filaments free, slender ; anthers oblong, 
 the cells opening laterally by longitudinal slits ; stamens mostly rudimen- 
 tary or wanting in the pistillate flowers although perfect flowers are some- 
 times found; ovary usually four-celled, each cell more or less completely 
 divided; styles four, spreading, two-lobed at the apex; stigmas two- 
 parted or lobed; ovule solitary in each of the divisions of the cells. 
 Fruit globose, oblong or conical, one-ten-seeded, surrounded at the base 
 by the enlarged persistent calyx. Seeds pendulous, oblong, compressed; 
 seed coat thick and bony, dark, more or less lustrous. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 235 
 
 mI 
 
 f 
 
 
 ^|^s»«^> 
 
 ^^. 
 
 i' 
 
 tk 
 
 
 ^^^^K';, s^^ 
 
 —- "^^ ^^S 
 
 
 
 y* 
 t 
 
 m 
 
 
 .,MU 
 
 r 1 • 
 
 tk^^ 
 
 
 
 
 ■4 
 
 
 ^^^^^i< '-^^^^^^^^1 
 
 g^j 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 JB 
 
 ^k 
 
 ' ^^L:^^tf 
 
 ■^1^ 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 
 ..Sr i 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^ ^tf 
 
 A p 
 
 ^ 4 
 
 
 % P 
 
 
 Fig. 1. — The pistillate or female flowers of the persimmon are borne singly 
 in the axils of leaves of the present season 's growth. The staminate or male 
 flowers are commonly in clusters of three on separate twigs from the pistillate 
 flowers. Both are at first white but fade to creamy-yellow and eventually to a 
 dark brown. 
 
236 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 NOTEWORTHY SPECIES 
 
 Diospyros virginiana (Common American Persimmon). — The Ameri- 
 can Persimmon is found growing wild in most of the southern states and 
 as far north as 38° latitude. Little attention has been paid to it as a 
 cultivated plant although several named varieties have appeared from 
 time to time. It is best known to those who live in localities where the 
 tree grows wild. The fruit ranges in size from 3^ to 2 inches in diameter, 
 depending largely on the number of seeds although seedless varieties 
 an inch in diameter are sometimes found. The popular belief that this 
 fruit is not edible until it has been subjected to the action of frost is 
 not entirely correct, since many of the best varieties ripen long before 
 the appearance of frost ; others never become edible being so exceedingly 
 astringent that neither sun nor frost has any appreciable effect on them. 
 
 Sargent gives the distribution of this species as Connecticut south- 
 ward to Florida and west to eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and the valley 
 of the Colorado River, Texas; very common in the south Atlantic and 
 Gulf states, often covering with shrubby growth by means of its stoloni- 
 ferous roots, abandoned fields and springing up by the sides of roads and 
 fences. Descriptions of two varieties may be found in the Yearbook of 
 the U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1907. Farmer's Bulletin 685 
 gives an excellent account of the native persimmon. Seedling trees 
 are not uncommon in California, forming thickets in some neglected 
 places; used for ornamental street trees at Bakersfield. 
 
 Diospyros texana. — This species is found in the valleys of the Colo- 
 rado and Concho rivers, Texas; it is abundant in western and southern 
 Texas. The fruit is exceedingly austere until it is fully ripe, stains 
 black, and is sometimes used by the Mexicans in the valley of the Rio 
 Grande to dye sheepskins. 
 
 Diospyros ebenaster. — This is the ebony persimmon of Mexico, the 
 fruit of which is quite black so that unpoetical observers have likened 
 the pulp to axle grease. It is excessively sweet to most tastes but 
 because of its novelty and the ease of its culture, it is certain to be pro- 
 pagated. It is known in Mexico as Zapote negro. 
 
 Diospyros lotus. — The lotus persimmon grows wild here and there 
 in the mountains of northern China. According to Meyer, it seems to 
 love protected rocky situations in ravines along small mountain streams. 
 The trees are often in the nature of large shrubs while in deep soils they 
 develop into good-sized trees which are very productive. The branches 
 are literally covered in the autumn with small blackish fruits, the size 
 of large cherries, which are edible when soft, although the three to five 
 seeds leave little space for flesh. The fruit is sold in China in quite 
 large quantities, being frequently offered at railway stations to travelers. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 237 
 
 It is stated in the California Station Report for 1882 (5) that D. 
 lotus does exceedingly well in California. It was noted to be a fine 
 ornamental tree marked by foliage of a dark bluish-green color with a 
 peculiar luster. 
 
 Fig. 2. — The persimmon tree is very easily top-worked by the ordinary 
 cleft graft. These scions show one year's growth on a four-year-old American 
 persimmon root. 
 
 The trees of the lotus persimmon are dioecious, the male flowers 
 being found on separate trees from the female. Fruiting specimens are 
 to be found at Chico, Niles, Elk Grove, Placentia, Orange and Santa 
 Ana. At the old N. D. Pierce Gardens and at a neighboring place, 
 Santa Ana, the fruits, though abundant, are always seedless on account 
 of lack of pollination. Seeds are in considerable demand for propagation 
 purposes. 
 
 Diospyros kaki (Kaki or Oriental Persimmon). — This species has 
 been cultivated in China and Japan for hundreds of years and is now as 
 common in those countries as the apple is in the United States. Since 
 
238 UNIVERSITY OF Cx\LIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 it is the only species of the genus which is being grown commercially in 
 California the remaining part of this bulletin, unless otherwise stated, 
 will refer to this species. 
 
 The characteristics of the flowers and fruits of the persimmon must 
 be thoroughly understood in order to appreciate some of the difficulties 
 incident to crop production and the peculiarities of the fruit when 
 produced. It has long been known, especially in Florida and other 
 southern states, that persimmon trees often fail to set fruit, although 
 an abundant crop of flowers is produced. The trees may produce a 
 good crop one season and the next season fail entirely although climatic 
 conditions were quite identical. In 1909 (18) H. H. Hume called at- 
 tention to the fact that non-fruiting was due to lack of pollen. 
 
 Seedling trees are very unreliable in the production of blossoms, 
 bearing male flowers during the first few years, then a small proportion 
 of female flowers, while later the appearance of male flowers is sporadic 
 on some trees and regular on others. Both male and female flowers are 
 borne on shoots of the current season, the male flowers being found 
 singly or in two to three-flowered clusters on small weak twigs while 
 the female flowers are borne singly in the axils of leaves on neighboring 
 shoots. Perfect flowers are occasionally found among the normal male 
 flowers, usually occupying the central position in the cluster of three. 
 Both kinds of flowers are yellowish-white during the first days after 
 opening but eventually they fade and change to a purplish-brown color. 
 The flower stalks are persistent remaining on the tree during the winter 
 and often for months longer. 
 
 Pollination may or may not be necessary for the setting of persimmon 
 fruits. In Florida the presence of staminate flowering trees near the 
 pistillate trees seems to be necessary, bees and other insects taking care 
 of the pollination. According to Hume (25), '^In some localities pol- 
 lenizers may not be necessary, under other conditions the planting of 
 them is an absolute necessity, making, as it does, the difference between 
 success and failure in securing crops of fruit and in all cases the presence 
 of pollenizers is an insurance against unfruitfulness." In California, 
 on the other hand, the tendency of trees of most varieties is to over- 
 bear and we have little evidence which would lead us to advocate the 
 planting of staminate-flowering trees to induce fruitfulness in commercial 
 orchards. The failure of individual trees to hold their fruits may be 
 due to lack of pollination although isolated trees bearing prolific crops 
 are not uncommon. In Orange County a young orchard of Hachiya 
 trees which bear only pistillate flowers, produces excellent crops, all 
 the fruit being seedless. This persimmon is comparable in a way to 
 the Washington Navel orange, which is grown to perfection in California 
 without pollination of the flowers. 
 
Bulletin 316 the kaki OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 239 
 
 Certain varieties of D. kaki bear both staminate and pistillate 
 flowers. Some bear staminate flowers regularly every time the tree 
 blooms, while others produce them one season and not another, — in fact, 
 are very irregular in this respect. The first class is designated by 
 Hume (26) as Staminate Constants while the second class of staminate 
 trees is called Staminate Sporadics. Those which produce only pistillate 
 flowers may be referred to as Pistillate Constants. To this latter class 
 belong our best Oriental persimmons, the Tanenashi, Hachiya, Hya- 
 kume, Tamopan, and Tsuru. Among the Staminate Constants, two 
 kinds. New Sien and Siang, have been found, both having been secured 
 in China by Meyer. The Yeddo Ichi, Maru, and a few other varieties 
 not definitely named bear staminate flowers regularly in California. The 
 tree referred to under S.P.I. No. 41456* is probably only one of numerous 
 specimens scattered over California. 
 
 The effect of pollination upon the characters of the fruit is interesting 
 and of considerable practical importance. Some fruits have dark, 
 reddish-brown or cinnamon flesh which is non-astringent when firm; 
 others have light flesh which is generally astringent until soft, while 
 still others have a mixed proportion of light and dark flesh in the same 
 fruit. Seeds always accompany the dark flesh while the light-fleshed 
 kinds may or may not be seedless. The amount of dark flesh is governed 
 by the number and position of the seeds. The presence of one seed 
 usually causes a darkening of the flesh adjoining the seed, while two 
 contiguous seeds may cause the flesh of one half the fruit to be darkened ; 
 two seeds on opposite sides of a small fruit may cause the whole flesh 
 to become dark. 
 
 A Japanese writer has classified the varieties into sweet and astrin- 
 gent groups, a classification which is entirely unsatisfactory, for when 
 varieties in the sweet group are seedless they fall into the astringent 
 group. In 1904 (13) Hume classified the varieties of D. kaki, known at 
 that time, into three groups, viz.: light-fleshed, mixed-fleshed, and 
 dark-fleshed varieties. This system of classification is also unsatisfac- 
 tory since color of flesh has been shown to be affected by pollination. 
 The flesh characters are determined by the pollination factor and this 
 factor finds its most striking expression in the color and texture of the 
 flesh. All varieties of Oriental persimmons known in America are light- 
 fleshed when seedless, while certain varieties always show darkening 
 of the flesh when seeds are present, and other varieties are always light- 
 fleshed when seeds are present. 
 
 *S.P.I. refers to the numbers of the Division of Foreign Seed and Plant Intro- 
 duction, Washington, D.C. 
 
240 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 Fig. 3. — The amount of dark flesh in a persimmon depends upon the number 
 and the distribution of the seeds. Four seeds in the Maru (above) make the 
 entire center dark fleshed; two seeds on one side of Yeddo Ichi (below) makes 
 only one-half the flesh dark. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 241 
 
 Those varieties which undergo no change in color when polHnated 
 are therefore referred to by Hume (26) as Pollination Constants, and 
 those which are hght-colored when seedless and dark-colored when 
 seedy, are called Pollination Variants. If varieties which are constantly 
 dark-fleshed, whether seedy or seedless should be found, the group of 
 Pollination Constants might then be divided into two groups of light 
 and dark-fleshed Pollination Constants. 
 
 Examples of Pollination Constants are Costata, Hachiya, Ormond, 
 Tamopan, Tanenashi, Tsuru. Examples of Pollination Variants are 
 Maru, Hyakume, Okame, Yeddo Ichi, Yemon, and Zengi. 
 
 SABUROSA. Natural size. 
 Fig. 4. — Some varieties of Oriental persimmons have characteristic protuber- 
 ances or "seats" under the calyx lobes. These are especially prominent in the 
 Saburosa, a variety found occasionally in California. 
 
 Although all varieties of Oriental persimmons so far grown in the 
 United States are light-fleshed when seedless, there seem to be occasional 
 exceptions to this rule. Specimens received from Oroville in December 
 1918 for study were entirely seedless and yet showed some cinnamon 
 colored flesh in two of the fruits. The variety was referred to Tsuronoko 
 but this identification was not positive. 
 
 Persimmons vary considerably in size, shape, color of skin and 
 flesh, texture, and quality. The smallest fruit of the round type studied 
 is the Galley from Florida which was about IJ^ inches in diameter; 
 the Zengi from Orange, California was almost as small. An oblong 
 fruit known locally as ''Acorn," on account of its shape, averages 2}^ 
 inches long and li inches in diameter. Of the conical persimmons 
 the Hachiya produces by far the largest specimens, many of which 
 
242 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 weigh a pound or more. Fruits of the Tamopan often average very 
 large. Specimens of a similar variety grown at Elk Grove in 1918 were 
 fully six inches across and nearly square. 
 
 In general, persimmons naturally fall into three groups based on 
 shape; the conical, the round or spherical, and the flattened or oblate. 
 Some persimmons of the flattened group show a peculiar constriction 
 or crease around the middle or a short distance above the base, which, 
 to use the words of Mr. Frank Meyer, who introduced them from China, 
 ''makes the fruit look as if two fruits had been joined, or as if it had been 
 
 •Fig. 5. — Some persimmons have a structure resembling that of a navel 
 orange, a secondary fruit being superimposed on or within the primary. 
 
 sat upon." This constriction is very propounced in the Tamopan and 
 a few others brought in under S.P.I, numbers, and serves as a natural 
 trademark for these varieties. Daruma and Naga-tsuba, figured in 
 Japanese publications show the same kind of constriction. 
 
 Various Japanese persimmons are characterized by more or less 
 conspicuous, basal lobes or ''seats" under the sepals. The following 
 varieties figured by Japanese writers show these lobes in a more or less 
 pronounced manner: Deinukoroshi, Futae gaki, Saburoza, Nagatsuba, 
 Maruza or Enza-gosho and Obishi. Two of these, Saburoza and 
 Enza-gosho have been found in California. Specimens of the Tanenashi 
 often show more or less distinct basal lobes which are sometimes very 
 conspicuous. 
 
Bulletin 316 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 243 
 
 Persimmons are often creased and furrowed lengthwise by four or 
 sometimes eight deep or shallow grooves which are usually characteristic 
 of the variety, as in Yotsuwari and Yama Yemon, found in California 
 and in various kinds figured by Japanese writers. Freak specimens, 
 including double and triple fruits, are common, especially on seedling 
 trees. The fruits of some varieties are characterized by a structure 
 similar to that of the navel orange, having a more or less distinct second- 
 ary fruit within the primary. This is especially pronounced in the 
 variety Futaye or Futaye-gaki, the Japanese word Futaye meaning 
 double. 
 
 The apex of persimmons is either flat, pointed, round, or depressed, 
 and the base projecting, flattened, or depressed beneath the calyx lobes. 
 
 Ripe persimmons are generally very attractive in color, the most 
 fitting descriptive term being, tomato-red. Their resemblance to 
 tomatoes is often so noticeable as to cause new comers to remark upon 
 the wonderful tomatoes which grow on trees in California! The shade 
 varies from a light yellowish-red in Tanenashi fruits to the very dark 
 red of the Saburoza and the Yeddo Ichi, which color persists after ripen- 
 ing. Some fruits, including the Hyakume from some sections, are un- 
 attractive on account of the brownish, mottled color which develops 
 with softening. Many varieties are characterized by the presence of 
 fine, penciled lines encircling the apex or extending irregularly down the 
 sides. 
 
 The flesh of most persimmons is juicy when sufficiently mature to 
 be edible; the flesh of the Tanenashi, however, is peculiarly dry or pasty 
 so that it can usually be recognized by this character alone. 
 
 The season for persimmons extends from October until January 
 or even later. The fruits of many varieties, if not picked, will remain 
 and shrivel up on the tree unless attacked by birds. Persimmons 
 hanging on the tree after all leaves have dropped is a characteristic sight 
 wherever the fruits are grown. The leaves themselves assume a beauti- 
 ful yellow or scarlet color uncommon among other California fruit 
 trees. A second crop of small fruits is common on the trees of certain 
 varieties, notably the Maru and Hachiya, in Placer County. 
 
 ASTRINGENCY IN PERSIMMON FRUITS 
 
 The astringency of the unripe persimmon is generally supposed to 
 be due to the presence of soluble tannin in cells of the fruit. The 
 effect of this tannin is not noticeable the instant a piece of the fruit 
 reaches the tongue as it requires a short time for the tannin to diffuse 
 in the saliva; its puckery effect is then pronounced, more so in some 
 varieties than in others, and a second taste of such a persimmon is not 
 
244 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 usually attempted. As the fruit matures, however, the tannin becomes 
 more and more insoluble until in a perfectly ripe specimen it is no longer 
 perceptible. On account of this fact the astringent varieties should be 
 perfectly soft before an attempt is made to eat them. This conception 
 of ''soluble" and "insoluble" tannin, however, is inadequate according 
 to recent investigations. The tannin bearing cells of the persimmon are 
 
 f 
 
 Ye>mon fF) 
 
 T6(/r(/ (f) 
 
 Sac/c 
 
 ^ac/ey f/^J 
 
 Scyc/^aki 
 
 OAame CF') 
 
 7y/(//ripA <0^ 
 
 ///aA^/7?e (FJ 
 
 //ac/?iya 
 
 Fig. 6 — The color, shape, size and surface characters of the seeds are fairly- 
 characteristic of persimmon varieties. 
 
 scattered in strands throughout the entire flesh excepting the gelatinous 
 lining of the seed cavity. The tannin is associated with a mucilage- 
 like carbohydrate which coagulates during the ripening process of the 
 fruit and absorbs the tannin (20). In the fruits of some varieties the 
 absorbed tannin becomes oxidized and red in color when the tannin 
 masses can be readily recognized. 
 
 It can be stated in a general way that all the dark or cinnamon- 
 colored flesh of persimmons is puckerless; the light-colored flesh may 
 or may not be astringent. Some of the best varieties grown in Japan 
 and China, such as the Fuyu and Tamopan, are seedless, light-fleshed 
 and puckerless. According to Mr. Meyer the non-astringent varieties 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 245 
 
 often become astringent when transplanted to other localities. The 
 Tanenashi, puckerless around Tokyo, becomes puckery in North Hondo. 
 The Tamopan, puckerless in China, shows considerable astringency in 
 some sections of Florida and California, but not in others. The Fuyu 
 as grown in California so far is non-astringent. 
 
 Costata (F) 
 
 /furokt^ma. 
 
 To mop an (f) 
 
 • 
 
 Sfczng' sAc ^J& 
 
 Yecfci^o fc/ic 
 
 Af{Jrado 
 
 I 
 
 Afari/ 
 
 /iycz/rif/'/ie 
 
 ruyt/ 
 
 Fig. 7. — Persimmon seeds. Specimens marked (F) were grown in Florida. 
 
 HORTICULTURAL VARIETIES 
 
 The identity of the different varieties of Oriental persimmons has 
 been very much confused ever since the first importations were made 
 forty years ago. Trees were propagated in Japan and exported under 
 wrong labels so that often out of ten trees purchased as a single variety 
 the grower discovered he had a half dozen or more distinct varieties 
 and possibly none of the kind he expected. Fruits of a certain tree 
 would be seedless one year but seedy and dark-fleshed the following 
 year, a circumstance which added considerably to the confusion in 
 nomenclature. The leading commercial varieties have been given names 
 which may not, however, identify the fruit with the same variety in 
 Japan. The satisfactory classification suggested by Hume (26) will 
 be followed here, with the addition of descriptive terms which may be 
 useful to the practical grower. 
 
246 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 HACHIYA 
 
 Fig. 8. — The largest and finest conical persimmon grown in California is 
 the Hachiya. It is the variety most favored by growers for commercial 
 planting, 
 
 I. — Pollination Constants: Fruits always light-fleshed, whether seedy or 
 seedless. 
 
 a. — Conical Type 
 
 Hachiya, — Fruit very large, oblong-conical, usually deep orange-red, very at- 
 tractive; surface glossy; flesh astringent until soft, sweet, rich, excellent in quality; 
 usually seedless; the leading commercial variety, although regarded as a light bearer 
 in some sections; often bearing heavily in alternate years. Season medium. 
 Especially fine in Orange County. Colored plate and description in the Yearbook, 
 U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1887, p. 644. Probably identical with Fuji 
 of Japan. 
 
 TANENASHI 
 Fig. 9, — Next to the Hachiya the Tanenashi is the most popular variety 
 being grown in California at present. The flesh is peculiarly dry and pasty, 
 but is excellent served with cream and sugar. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 247 
 
 Tanenashi. — Fruit large, broadly conical, tapering gradually upward from near 
 the base; color light orange-red; surface fairly glossy, smooth, with distinct areola- 
 tions visible through the skin; flesh astringent until soft, characteristically mealy 
 or pasty; of very good quality; practically always seedless; fruits often defective 
 at the core, with an opening under the calyx exposing the interior to dust, dirt and 
 mold. Season medium. Trees bear heavily in alternate years. Colored plate 
 and description in U. S. D. A. Yearbook for 1887, p. 644. 
 
 TSUEU 
 Fig. 10. — The Tsuru persimmon is commonly cylindrical and much longer 
 in proportion to its diameter than any other variety. It is usually seedless and 
 is always light-fleshed. 
 
 Tsuru. — Fruit oblong-cylindrical with rounded apex; longer in proportion to its 
 size than any other variety; color bright orange-red, attractive; skin smooth, glossy, 
 
 TAMOPAN 
 
 Fig. 11. — The Tamopan persimmon is peculiar in having a constriction or 
 crease extending around the fruit equatorially. The skin is thick and firm, 
 «o that one can eat the flesh with a spoon from the half shell. 
 
248 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 rather thick, granular; flesh astringent until soft, often failing to ripen uniformly; 
 quality good; usually seedless. Season late. Fruit especially sought after by 
 Orientals. Colored plate and description in U. S. D. A. Yearbook for 1890, p. 423. 
 The Costata illustrated and described in the Yearbook for 1892, p. 265; the 
 Ormond (Yearbook for 1912, pp. 270, 271); and probably the Yama Tsuru (Year- 
 book for 1891, p. 387) belong to this group. 
 
 h. — Flattened or Ohlate Type 
 
 Tamopan. — Fruit very large, often three to five inches in diameter and sometimes 
 over a pound in weight; usually more or less quadrangular with a prominent equa- 
 torial constriction or crease below the middle; color light reddish-orange changing 
 little at maturity; skin thick and tough, enabling one to eat the flesh with a spoon 
 from the half shell; flesh light orange, very juicy, stringy, mostly astringent until 
 soft, fairly rich; quality very good; usually seedless. Season medium. Tree hardy, 
 vigorous, productive. First introduced by the U. S. Department of Agriculture 
 from China in 1905. 
 
 FUYU 
 
 Fig. 12. — One of the most, if not the most promising variety from Japan is 
 the Fuyu which is always light-fleshed and perfectly non-astringent. Trees 
 have been fruiting for a number of years at the Plant Introduction Gardens, 
 Chico. 
 
 Fuyu. — Fruit medium to large, indistinctly quadrangular; color deep tomato- 
 red, attractive; surface fairly glossy; flesh light orange, fairly rich; perfectly non- 
 astringent even when seedless and flrm; quality very good; seeds few or none. Above 
 description refers to fruits produced on tree at Plant Introduction Gardens, Chico, 
 imported under S.P.I. No. 26491. A very promising variety. Fruits of S.P.I. 
 No. 32868 are very similar if not identical. S.P.I. No. 26733 has fruited in Florida 
 and is regarded as the most promising variety yet tested. Trees of the same number 
 have fruited at Mountain View, California, the fruits being entirely non-astringent. 
 It was introduced under the name Fuyugaki. 
 
 Gosho. — Fruits of the true Gosho have not been studied here so far, although trees 
 have been introduced and they may have fruited. Japanese specimens are described 
 by S. Fujii as follows: size medium; shape oblate, with a very wide and deep cavity; 
 color orange-red when fully ripe; flesh light, tender, very juicy and sweet; seeds 
 few; quality the best of all sweet varieties. Tree rather a shy bearer in Japan but 
 widely planted on account of the excellent quality of the fruit. Originated in Gosho 
 village. 
 
 The word Gosho, like Maru, is commonly used as a suffix to variety names in 
 Japan; thus Okugosho, signifying late; Tenjin-gosho, from Tenjin in the province of 
 Gifu; Hana-gosho; Tokuda-gosho; and others, most of which are non-astringent. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 249 
 
 The varieties Siang-shi-tse, grown at Chico under S.P.I. No. 21910; the Triumph 
 illustrated in color and described in the U. S. D. A. Yearbook for 1913, pp. 119, 120; 
 and the Maruza or Enza-gosho found in the Trapp orchard at Los Angeles, belong 
 here. 
 
 II. — Pollination Variants.- 
 around seeds. 
 
 -Fruits light-fleshed when seedless, dark-fleshed 
 
 a. — Conical Type 
 
 No varieties of this type are commonly grown in California. The variety known 
 locally in Placer County as ''Acorn," probably identical with the Japanese variety 
 Sokyu, belongs here; also Tsurunoko grown in various parts of the state. 
 
 G05M0 
 
 TAMOPAh- 
 
 TSUR 
 
 HACt1\^A' 
 
 n/\Ru-' 
 
 MYAKUME 
 
 ruYu — ^ 
 
 YEfiOri 
 
 17^hEINA5HI% 
 
 Fig. 13. — The size of persimmons depends upon the amount of fruit on the 
 tree, the fertility of the soil, and the available supply of moisture. The shape, 
 however, is characteristic of the variety as a rule. 
 
 b. — Round or Spherical Type 
 
 Hyakume. — Fruit medium to large, mostly four-angled; color light orange, often 
 mottled or dappled and unattractive at maturity; brown when soft; surface glossy, 
 usually with fine russet lines around the apex and down the sides ; flesh dark cinnamon 
 color when seeded, sweet, moderately rich; quality very good; keeping quality ex- 
 cellent. Season medium. Colored plate and description in the U. S. D. A. Yearbook 
 for 1889, p. 450. 
 
 Maru. — Fruit medium with a broad, rounded apex; color orange-red, attractive; 
 surface somewhat glossy, with heavy bloom ; flesh dark cinnamon when seeded, very 
 sweet, rich; quality excellent. Tree a regular heavy producer in Placer County; 
 season medium. 
 
250 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 The name Maru, meaning round, is used as a suffix of several variety names such 
 as Zengi-maru, Daidai-maru, and Sagami-maru, signifying that the fruits have a 
 general roundish form. The name should properly be used therefore as a type rather 
 than a variety name. The same is true of the name "Kineri." 
 
 Fig. 14. — Fruits of the Hyakume are generally large, dark-fleshed when 
 seeded and of good quality but unattractive in color and appearance when 
 thoroughly ripe. The trees are prolific, however, and the fruits keep remark- 
 ably well. The variety is favorably regarded for commercial planting, espec- 
 ially in Placer County. 
 
 MAEU 
 
 Fig. li). — The word ''Marn" signifying round, is a common suffix to variety 
 names in Japan. It should properly be used to deaignate a type rather than 
 a variety. Trees grown under this name are common in Placer County. 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 251 
 
 Saburoza. — Fruit small to medium, characterized by four prominent lobes or 
 "seats" extending beyond the calyx; color very dark tomato-red, very attractive; 
 surface glossy; flesh very dark cinnamon when seeded, sweet, rich; quality excellent. 
 Illustrated and described in the California Cultivator, January 28, 1915. 
 
 Zengi. — Fruit small; color dark orange-red, attractive; surface, glossy, often 
 marked by russet lines around the apex; flesh very dark, almost black when seeded, 
 sweet, rich; quality very good. Season early. Fruit too small for commercial use. 
 The Gailey, Taber's 129, and Myotan, grown in the southern states belong to this 
 group. 
 
 c. — Flattened or Oblate Type 
 
 Yeddo Ichi. — Fruit often more roundish than flattened, medium, apex slightly 
 depressed at center; color very dark tomato-red, attractive; surface somewhat glossy, 
 usually marked with fine pencilled lines around the apex; flesh very dark cinnamon 
 when seeded, sweet, rich; quality excellent. Colored plate and description in the 
 U. S. D. A. Yearbook for 1889, p. 450. 
 
 Fig. 16. — The Yeddo Ichi is a dark-fleshed persimmon of excellent quality 
 but rather small for commercial planting. The pencilled lines around the apex 
 are characteristic of seeded specimens. 
 
 Yemon. — Fruit medium, decidedly flattened and quadrangular; color light orange- 
 red; surface somewhat glossy with a heavy ashy-gray bloom; flesh cinnamon when 
 seeded, sweet, fairly rich; quality good. Season, late. Tree a very heavy, regular 
 producer. Seedless specimens illustrated in color and described in the U. S. D. A. 
 Yearbook for 1887, p. 644. 
 
 The Yama Yemon is very similar to the Yemon, but generally larger, earlier, 
 and often furrowed on the four sides. 
 
252 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 The variety Dai Dai, illustrated in color and described in the U. S. D. A. Yearbook 
 for 1891, p. 386, is seldom found in California. It is grown at Chico under S.P.I. 
 No. 13835. 
 
 The Okame, described in various publications, and grown in many sections under 
 the name "Mikado" belongs here. 
 
 The Yotsuwari, grown at Newcastle has four very distinct creases or furrows 
 extending upwards from the base dividing the fruit into four fairly even sections. 
 
 The following varieties may be classified here: Godbey, grown at Chico under 
 S.P.I. No. 29329; Suyugaki, at Chico under S.P.I. No. 27034; Kurokuma at Chico 
 under S.P.I. No. 13841. 
 
 Fig. 17. — The Okame, often known locally as the Mikado, is one of the 
 most common varieties on the San Francisco market in the fall of the year. 
 The trees are very prolific and the individual fruits are consequently small in 
 size. 
 
 CLIMATIC AND SOIL REQUIREMENTS 
 
 Many of the first Oriental persimmon trees brought to the eastern 
 United States were killed by the winter's cold, and the early accounts 
 of the experimenters with trees showed conflicting reports regarding 
 their hardiness. The tree is not hardy at Washington, D.C., although 
 occasional trees protected by buildings may be found as far north as 
 New Jersey. In the eastern states this class of persimmon can not be 
 grown successfully much north of Raleigh, N.C. The tree of the 
 Tamopan which has been reported as surviving temperatures several 
 degrees below zero, seems to be injured as readily as trees of other varie- 
 ties grown in the southern states. Various accounts, however, show 
 
Bulletin 316 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 253 
 
 that both in Japan and China persimmon trees are grown successfully 
 in regions where zero temperatures or lower are not uncommon and 
 where considerable snow covers the ground in winter. In general, it 
 can be stated that the northern limit of successful growth is about the 
 same as, or a little beyond that of fig trees. Successful fruiting of the 
 fig requires considerable summer heat and dry atmospheric conditions 
 which accounts for the poor success with figs in the immediate vicinity 
 of San Francisco Bay. Persimmon trees, however, produce well along 
 the coast, neither the foliage nor fruit seeming to suffer from high 
 humidity or cool nights; the season for the fruit in coast districts is 
 naturally later than in the interior valleys. Lateness is no disadvantage 
 however and may be a distinct advantage in marketing the crop if it 
 can be held until other fall fruits are mostly shipped. 
 
 Persimmon trees thrive and bear excellent crops in the hot, dry 
 valleys of the interior. It is reported, however, in Circular 159 of 
 this station that persimmons are sensitive to the dry heat of Imperial 
 Valley and young trees, if not protected, are easily killed by sunburn. 
 Mature trees in Imperial Valley have borne fine fruit, which seem to 
 lack the extreme astringency found in the unripe fruit elsewhere. 
 
 The blooming season of the tree is sufficiently late to escape late 
 frosts. It is recorded, however, in the California Experiment Station 
 Report for 1897-8 (11) that the persimmon crop was a failure in 1898 
 at the Jackson Sub-station on account of frost damage to the flower 
 buds. Twice during the last ten years there has been some frost injury 
 to persimmon flowers near Newcastle but not enough to destroy the 
 entire crop. 
 
 Broadly speaking, the best soil for the Oriental persimmon is a 
 sandy loam of open texture with a fair amount of humus and good drain- 
 age. In California we find that on the heavier soil types the persimmon 
 grows more vigorously and taller, while on the light sandy soils the 
 growth is more moderate or even dwarfed with heavy fruitage. The 
 fact that trees are thriving in a wide variety of soils and situations in 
 California, shows that they are not particular as to soil types. The 
 trees are often planted along ditches and streams where they often do 
 well even when neglected. The current idea that the persimmon tree 
 thrives on low, wet soils should not be carried to such an extreme as to 
 plant orchards on swampy, poorly drained land where spring cultiva- 
 tion is impossible as it is doubtful if their culture would be profitable 
 under such conditions. 
 
 PROPAGATION AND STOCKS 
 
 An excellent account of the propagation of the native American 
 persimmon is given in Farmer's Bulletin 685, U. S. D. A., published in 
 
254 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 1915 and some of the methods are apphcable to the Oriental persimmon. 
 In the southern states, the kaki is said to be much more thrifty and 
 vigorous on seedHngs of the native persimmon than upon its own roots. 
 
 Some nurserymen use root-sprouts of the American persimmon for 
 stock in spite of the fact that they are less productive than seedlings 
 and also harbor the root sawyer insect. The general practice is to 
 graft just at the surface of the ground and draw earth high up over the 
 juncture. One method of propagation is to dig up, root graft, and callus 
 over, almost precisely as in root-grafting the apple. In central and 
 southern Florida dormant budding has been favored. 
 
 The American persimmon stock has the fault of sprouting wherever 
 the roots are broken by tillage tools and in Texas it is considered one 
 of the most difficult tasks to clear a piece of land of native persimmon 
 trees as every little piece of root left will send up a sprout. Apparently 
 no serious difficulty has been experienced either in Texas or Florida 
 however, with the suckering of the native stock in the orchard. 
 
 Some nurserymen in California gather seed from trees of D. Virgin- 
 tana which fruit abundantly in some places, and work the commercial 
 varieties on stock grown from these seeds. Aside from the fault of sprout- 
 ing the American persimmon makes an excellent stock in California. 
 
 Experience in Texas indicates that seedlings of D. texana are not 
 satisfactory for stocks. 
 
 Diospyros lotus as stock. — According to Meyer (21), all the persim- 
 mons in northern China are ring-budded or grafted upon a species 
 growing wild in the mountains. ''As a stock, this persimmon may give 
 to its grafted host a much longer life than the native American persim- 
 mon seems to be able to, for in China all the cultivated persimmons 
 grow much older than they do in America. Of some varieties there, 
 one finds trees grafted on this D. lotus that are centuries old and still 
 very productive.'' 
 
 Experience in Florida has shown that the lotus stock is not satis- 
 factory there, the roots rotting off in damp soils. 
 
 Trees of the lotus persimmon have long been fruiting in California 
 but the seedlings have not been largely used for stock until recently. 
 As early as 1882, (5) however, the California Experiment Station 
 reported that as a grafting stock it had an advantage over the American 
 on account of a far better root system. The D. kaki root has proved 
 unsatisfactory at Riverside, not over one-third of the original planting 
 having survived; the young trees on the lotus root are growing thriftily. 
 
 The lotus stock is preferred at the Plant Introduction Gardens, 
 Chico, as it has a better root system, is much easier to transplant on 
 account of the numerous fibrous roots, and does not sucker in the or- 
 chard. 
 
Bulletin 316 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 255 
 
 A successful propagator near Placentia uses the following methods 
 with the lotus stock: The seeds of the lotus (often called Manchurian 
 and sometimes Italian) are stratified in sand one inch deep, covered 
 with oiled paper and kept in a cool place until spring, when they are 
 planted out in nursery rows. It is very important to shade the seed- 
 lings from sunburn as they are coming out of the ground. The sprout- 
 ing is similar to that of beans, the cotyledons being pulled out of the 
 ground by straightening of the arched hypocotyl which is the tender 
 part. The seedlings are thinned out or transplanted so as to stand six 
 to eight inches apart in the row and each is shaded at the base, usually 
 with a lath. A few of the largest seedlings may be budded in late 
 summer or fall but grafting in late winter and early spring gives best 
 results. A shallow trench is dug along one side of the row and the 
 larger seedlings cleft-grafted, the smaller whip-grafted. The scions 
 grow rapidly during the following season and the nursery trees are sold 
 at one year of age. 
 
 ORCHARD MANAGEMENT 
 
 Planting and Care. — Some varieties, such as Costata and Maru, are 
 upright in habit and require less space than those of spreading habit 
 like Tanenashi and Hachiya. The trees may be set in February or 
 March as close as 20 feet, although in rich deep soil, 24 feet is better. 
 The deep tap root of the American persimmon makes careful work in 
 transplanting a necessity. The trees should be transplanted when 
 young if on American persimmon root. Since the trees are deciduous, 
 balling is not necessary when moving them from the nursery to the 
 orchard, but the bare roots should be protected from drying out by 
 means of wet straw or sacking. All mangled or injured roots should 
 be cut back to sound tissue and any showing root-knot or crown-gall 
 should be discarded and burned. 
 
 The care of a persimmon orchard will not differ much from the 
 care of other deciduous orchards. Where the rainfall is less than twenty 
 inches the trees require irrigation water in amounts sufficient to pro- 
 duce vigorous growth and to bring the fruit to maturity. Cultivation 
 and fertilization will have to be regulated to meet the existing soil 
 conditions. 
 
 Pruning and Top-working. — Persimmon trees which are unpruned 
 and the fruit of which is not thinned have the habit of bearing in alternate 
 years. Two villages near Tokyo, Japan, have for a long time co-operated 
 in a curious manner to lessen and regulate the yield in order to avoid 
 glutting the market. In one of the villages the growers ventured to 
 practice the removal of the young flowers in the fruiting year and thus 
 
256 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 encourage a crop in the off year. In such a way the trees in the two 
 villages bear in alternate years. 
 
 Persimmon fruits are produced on wood of the current season. 
 Well-matured shoots of moderate length which have remained sterile 
 during the current season, send out fruiting wood the next season. Thus 
 one of the main objects of pruning should be to encourage this type of 
 growth. The Japanese method is to prune out each shoot which has 
 borne fruit while the sterile or non-fruiting ones are either left unpruned 
 or are cut back so as to fruit the following season. This is often done 
 at the time of gathering the fruit, especially with the astringent varieties 
 the fruits of which are peeled and cured in the sun. 
 
 In California the young trees should be headed at about 36 inches 
 and then the four or five main branches should be properly spaced over 
 the upper 12 inches of trunk rather than have them bunched near the 
 top. It is important to develop a strong system of main branches 
 during the first three or four years so that less trouble will be experienced 
 later in propping the branches and keeping them from breaking down 
 with the weight of the fruit. 
 
 It is no more difficult to top-work persimmon trees than other com- 
 mon fruit trees. According to Hume (25) ''it is quite easy to bud over 
 branches here and there in properly placed trees. No preliminary 
 cutting back is necessary as the buds may be inserted where the bark 
 is anywhere from one to three years old. The work should be done 
 just as the leaves are coming out in spring, using the ordinary method 
 of shield budding and tying the buds in place with waxed cloth. The 
 wraps should be left on about three weeks and as soon as the buds have 
 taken, the branches should be cut back, leaving stubs five or six inches 
 long to which the shoots from the buds may be tied as they grow out. 
 These stubs should be removed at the end of one season's growth." 
 
 In California budding has not been so satisfactorily or so commonly 
 used as grafting. In various parts of the state the cleft graft has given 
 excellent results especially with young trees. Scions of the desired 
 variety are inserted in early spring in clefts of the stock, split for the 
 purpose, and all exposed ends carefully waxed over. Should the scions 
 fail to grow, buds may be inserted in June at the base of the sprouts 
 which push out. 
 
 Thinning. — At present the persimmon market offers a premium 
 rather than a discount for extra large sizes. Systematic thinning of 
 the fruit of varieties which habitually overbear is advisable. This 
 should be done before the fruit is half grown. Thinning also relieves 
 the tree of its excess of fruit and allows it to store up sufficient plant 
 food for the production of good buds for the following season. It 
 may thus correct the habit of bearing in alternate years which is so 
 
Bulletin 316 the KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 257 
 
 common with many varieties. The trees should begin to bear fruit 
 the third year in the orchard. 
 
 Harvesting. — The fruit should not be pulled but cut from the twig 
 with clippers. If intended for a distant market it should of course be 
 gathered when mature, but still firm. Experience will soon enable 
 the grower to judge the proper degree of maturity at which the fruit is 
 ready for market. It must be well colored but not of the full color 
 which develops as the fruit becomes thoroughly ripe. The color develops 
 first at the apex and gradually extends toward the base, and picking 
 should not be done until the basal half has lost most of the green color. 
 The fruit should be carefully handled so that the surface is not bruised 
 or injured, as such bruises develop into dark blemishes which greatly 
 injure the appearance on the market. For home use the fruit may be 
 allowed to become mature on the tree although it is likely to be attacked 
 by birds when ripening. A good plan is to remove the fruit from the 
 trees when fully matured and allow it to ripen in a cool cellar or closet. 
 Another satisfactory plan is to place the persimmons in layers of chaff 
 or fine straw in boxes so as to exclude the light. Such fruit will ripen 
 in from two to six weeks depending upon the stage of maturity when 
 picked. Fruits which are picked while immature are liable to shrivel 
 up rather than to soften, especially if kept in a dry room. 
 
 Most varieties of persimmons now grown commercially are astrin- 
 gent until soft, the fruit being allowed to ripen on the fruit stands or 
 in the home of the consumer. The dark-fleshed varieties are non- 
 astringent when the dark-flesh is present but it is practically impossible 
 for either the grower or the consumer to be certain that the individual 
 fruit at hand is seedless, light-fleshed and astringent, or seeded, dark- 
 fleshed and sweet, until the fruit is cut. The great desirability either 
 of growing non-astringent varieties or of removing the astringency 
 from the fruits of varieties now being grown, is evident. Methods of 
 artificial ripening will therefore be discussed. 
 
 Processing. — Artificial ripening of the persimmon has been practiced 
 in Japan for many years. The first reference in American literature to 
 the Japanese method is found in the California Horticulturist for March 
 3, 1877, W. E. Griffin stating (2) that "the most luscious Japanese 
 persimmons are ripened by air-tight enclosure in casks containing sake 
 (a kind of beer made of rice) which in two or three weeks perfects a 
 remarkable flavor." Reference is also made to this process in the 
 California Horticulturist for April, 1879. 
 
 Dr. Knapp who introduced some Japanese persimmons into the 
 United States in 1899 also made reference to this method of processing 
 but curiously enough, little attention seems to have been paid to these 
 early accounts by American growers. In 1902 Mr. Watrous of Iowa 
 
258 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 made a trip to Japan, investigated the Japanese method, and reported 
 to the Secretary of Agriculture the details of the process. Sake tubs 
 or casks, in which rice beer has been stored, are used, the fruit being 
 placed in the tubs as soon as emptied. The head of the tub is immed- 
 iately replaced and the package made air-tight. In five, eight, or 
 fifteen days, according to the temperature, the fruit may be removed 
 in a firm, sound condition and shipped long distances, but with the 
 astringency all gone and the flavor fine. 
 
 At the suggestion of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Mr. Geo. 
 Roeding of Fresno made in 1905 the first trial of this method in the 
 United States. He reported (16) that he was astonished to see how 
 completely the bitterness had left the persimmons, although they were 
 just as hard as when put in the tub eleven days before. 
 
 Fig. 18. — Dried persimmons are as common in Japan as dried apples in the 
 United States. When properly dried the sugar crystallizes out on the surface, 
 making a white, attractive product. 
 
 During the seasons from 1907 to 1910 the whole subject of the 
 growth and ripening of persimmons was investigated (22) (23) by 
 Messrs. Bigelow, Gore, and Howard of the Bureau of Chemistry and by 
 F. E. Lloyd of Alabama. It was found that butter tubs whose walls 
 were saturated with dilute alcohol were found to serve as well as sake 
 tubs soaked with sake. A pad of paper pulp wet with 25% alcohol 
 was placed in the upper part of each tub but the persimmons ripened 
 
Bulletin 316 the kaki OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 259 
 
 in this way softened during the process. The most satisfactory results 
 were secured by processing in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas for 
 from three to five days, the fruit becoming non-astringent while re- 
 maining firm. Churn barrels were found satisfactory containers in 
 the south while at Washington a special metal apparatus was per- 
 fected for processing the fruit on a commercial scale. Carbon dioxide 
 was passed into the container from a steel cylinder such as those used 
 at soda fountains. Several varieties were processed on a large scale 
 in Florida and subjected to a shipping test. With one exception (yellow- 
 fleshed Zengi) processing greatly injured the naturally excellent shipping 
 qualities of the fruit, and it was therefore regarded as practicable only 
 for the local market. We do not know of any attempts to com- 
 mercialize this process either in Florida or California. 
 
 For home or local use persimmons can be very easily and cheaply 
 processed by either the alcohol or the hot- water method. A five-gallon 
 milk can or an air-tight barrel with a tight-fitting cover makes a con- 
 venient receptacle. Grain alcohol, one pint to a 64-gallon container 
 should give good results. Hachiya and Tanenashi persimmons thus 
 processed in 1916 at Newcastle by Japanese growers were perfectly 
 sweet, excellent in quality, and firm in texture. 
 
 Fruits immersed for twelve hours in warm water at from 85° to 
 105°F. will lose their astringency. 
 
 It has long been known that maturity of persimmons on the tree 
 may be hastened by mechanical injury such as insect puncture or 
 stabbing with a knife-blade or needle. Running a knife blade into 
 the center of firm persimmons will cause the fruit to ripen quickly 
 and will not ordinarily cause it to decay. The astringent fruit may 
 also be processed by pricking it several times with a common needle 
 dipped in alcohol and then packing in straw in a tight box or container 
 for ten days. 
 
 Drying. — In Japan and China it is a very common practise to dry 
 persimmons, the product forming a staple food article which is used 
 as we use dried figs. In the U. S. D. A. Yearbook for 1915 Meyer 
 gives an account of the extensive dried persimmon industry of certain 
 sections of China. Sound persimmons of astringent varieties are picked 
 with a T-shaped piece of twig attached to each fruit, and peeled by 
 hand with a small, special knife. The fruits are then suspended on 
 strong strings, two of which have been twisted together; beginning at 
 the bottom the workman slips each fruit between the strings, continuing 
 until the whole string is full of fruit. The strings are then hung in an 
 airy room open on one side, the persimmons drying in about three 
 weeks. They are then placed in heaps for a few days and covered with 
 matting under which they go through a sweating process and the sugar 
 
260 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 crystallizes on the surface. The peelings are dried separately in airy 
 baskets. Such dried persimmons form a very wholesome article of 
 food which is in great demand. Japanese in California have dried 
 persimmons on a small scale but no attempts have been made to improve 
 or commercialize the proces?. 
 
 Experiments on the drying of persimmons in a steam-heated evapor- 
 ator are reported in Bulletin 155, U. S. D. A. Bureau of Chemistry. 
 (23) Tanenashi fruits peeled and sliced with nickel-plated knives became 
 non-astringent soon after placing in the drier and produced a very 
 attractive product of excellent quality. 
 
 Packing and Marketing. — The commercial package commonly used 
 for California persimmons is the peach box, 19^x12x5 inches outside 
 measurement. When packed, these boxes average 18 pounds in weight, 
 depending upon the size of the fruit packed. The fruits are wrapped in 
 tissue paper and placed one or two layers deep in the boxes. 
 
 Fig. 19. — California persimmons are generally packed in the ordinary peach 
 box having outside measurements of 19%xT2x5 inches and averaging 18 pounds 
 in weight. The fruits in the upper box are Ilyakume; in the lower, Tamopan. 
 
 Most growers in southern California depend upon the local markets 
 to handle their fruit. The Hachiya has been returning to the grower 
 five to seven cents a pound during recent years. The Tanenashi does 
 not sell well as long as Hachiya is in the market and the former are 
 often placed in cold storage. When the two varieties are on the Los 
 Angeles market at the same time the Hachiya brings two cents a pound 
 
Bulletin 316 tjjj^ kaki OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 261 
 
 more than the Tanenashi. Some Hachiya trees at Orange bear 400 
 pounds of fruit annually. A grower at Monrovia harvested in 1918 
 from less than ninety trees about eight and one-fourth tons of fruit 
 for which he received an average price of a little over six cents a pound. 
 He believes the Hachiya on lotus stock should yield fifteen tons of fresh 
 fruit per acre. 
 
 On the San Francisco Commission Market in November 1918 large 
 Hachiya and Tanenashi persimmons were in good demand at $1.50 
 per box. Tsuru, Mikado, and Maru were in poor demand at 75 cents 
 to $1.00 per box. The boxes in one lot consisting mainly of Mikado 
 and Hachiya ranged from 18 to 21 pounds per box in weight. 
 
 It is interesting to note the following from Bailey's ''Annals of 
 Horticulture" for 1892: ''The kaki or Japanese persimmon was this 
 year shipped to Europe from California for the first time. Five car- 
 loads were sent East, a portion of which reached London, Liverpool, 
 and Glasgow. Financially, the experiment does not appear to have 
 been profitable, but it is interesting to know that so soft a fruit can be 
 carried 6,000 miles successfully." We do not know of any such large 
 shipments in recent years. The fruits were probably from the late 
 Ellwood Cooper's orchard, near Goleta. In 1891 Mr. Cooper shipped 
 persimmons to the coast markets in pasteboard cartons, like those of 
 an egg case, each fruit being wrapped in soft paper bearing printed 
 instructions for ripening and using. 
 
 A carload, or 1240 boxes, of persimmons grown at Santa Barbara in 
 1917 and shipped to Chicago sold for $1,862.85. The freight and re- 
 frigeration charges amounted to $369.00, leaving a net return f.o.b. 
 of $1,363.46, an average of $1.09 per box. Experience of the same ship- 
 per with better varieties in good condition and properly graded shows 
 that sales will generally average $1.40 to $1.50 per box on the eastern 
 market. 
 
 Reports from Placer County show that usually the Hachiya brings 
 fifty cents a box more than other varieties although in 1918 the Hyakume 
 and Tanenashi sold equally well. During the 1918 season the net 
 returns from the east averaged about $1.75 per box, which one grower 
 stated was about double the returns from the San Francisco market. 
 
 Cold Storage. — Cold storage of the persimmon is commonly practiced 
 in Los Angeles, the fruit being held for the holiday market when the 
 demand is good. Fruit held longer than the holiday season is liable to 
 move slowly. 
 
 Preliminary experiments on the cold storage of persimmons at 
 Berkeley showed that all varieties softened much more quickly at 36° F, 
 than at 32°, and that the fruits kept best at 30°. Most varieties have 
 a tendency to shrivel, especially at the apex and the use of wrapping 
 
262 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 paper or even of tight paraffine paper bags is advisable. The following 
 table shows the comparative results with the different varieties : 
 
 Length of Time in Days 
 In Which the Fruit Kept in Good Condition 
 
 Variety 30° F. 32° F. 36° F. 
 
 Hachiya (Placer County) 158 89 51 
 
 Hachiya (Orange County) 141 63 34 
 
 Tanenashi (Placer County) 170 98 30 
 
 Maru (Placer County) 210 189 63 
 
 Hyakume (Placer County) 210 148 63 
 
 Mikado (Placer County) 210 118 30 
 
 Tsuru (Orange County) 106 44 28 
 
 The best keeper in the 32° room was Mamegaki, obtained from Chico 
 under S. P. I. No. 13842. It kept 157 days in excellent condition 
 retaining its firmness and glossiness throughout. Specimens of the 
 Tamopan from two different localities unexpectedly showed poor keeping 
 qualities at all three temperatures. 
 
 ANALYSES 
 
 As early as 1877 Rev. Henry Loomis sent specimens of the per- 
 simmon to the California Experiment Station for analysis. (3) A 
 sample received on January 9, 1895 was analyzed with the following 
 results: Average weight, 175 grams; total sugar, 18.2%. The sample 
 contained nearly as much sugar as the fresh French prune with 18.5%, 
 and the Adriatic fig with 19.2% of sugar though it was some 2% below 
 the average California grape in this respect. It was much sweeter 
 than the apricot with sugar at 11.1, the plum with 12.89, and the peach 
 with 12.5%. 
 
 Results of investigations made and published in 1903 by the Calif- 
 ornia Experiment Station on the nutritive value of the persimmon are 
 shown in the following table : 
 
 Analyses of Persimmons Carbohydrates 
 
 starch, Crude 
 PERCENT: Refuse Water Protein Fat Sugar, etc. Fiber Ash 
 
 Large Seedling, edible portion 77.04 1.61 .31 19.39 .93 .72 
 
 Large Seedling, as purchased 22.40 59.77 1.25 .25 15.05 .72 .56 
 
 Tanenashi, edible portion 81.93 1.16 .55 12.81 2.93 .62 
 
 Tanenashi, as purchased 1.88 66.53 .94 .45 10.40 2.38 .50 
 
 Yemon, edible portion 81.66 1.32 .85 13.19 2.37 .61 
 
 Yemon, as purchased 30.7 56.59 .92 .59 9.14 1.64 .42 
 
 Average, edible portion 80.21 1.36 .57 15.13 2.08 .65 
 
 Average, as purchased 23.97 60.96 1.04 .43 11.53 1.58 .49 
 
 Notes on the chemistry of the persimmon and several analyses of 
 American and Oriental varieties are given by J. B. McBryde in 1899 
 
Bulletin 316 
 
 THE KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 
 
 263 
 
 (12). The most striking thing shown is the large amount of sugar which 
 is all in the form of glucose. Thorough tests failed to show a trace of 
 cane sugar. 
 
 Fig. 20. — The persimmon is well adapted to cold storage and can be held 
 for several months in good condition if kept from shriveling. The fruits keep 
 best at 30 degrees F. 
 
 In the United States persimmons are as a rule consumed in the 
 fresh state. The astringent varieties must be allowed to soften 
 thoroughly before they are ready for eating. On account of the diffi- 
 culty of peeling such soft fruit they may be served satisfactorily at 
 the table whole or in half and the flesh removed with a spoon. Various 
 recipes for puddings, preserves, and other preparations are sometimes 
 offered but the general experience seems to show that the persimmon 
 does not lend itself to such varied dishes as do most other common 
 fruits. 
 
264 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS 
 
 Persimmon trees are singularly free from serious troubles. There 
 are a few of minor importance, however, which should be considered. 
 A die-back of the trees on heavy soil in Orange County is probably due 
 to soil conditions rather than to any specific fungus. 
 
 Crown gall. — In Japanese nurseries crown gall is common on persim- 
 mon stock and it has often been found on imported trees. At Chico 
 both the lotus and American stock have been affected and in 1918 the 
 greater part of the trees in one nursery were destroyed owing to such 
 infection. The only recourse in such cases is to avoid planting in in- 
 fected soil. 
 
 Several other serious fungus diseases attack the twigs, foliage and 
 fruit of the persimmon in Japan but none have so far become established 
 in California. 
 
 Insects. — In Japan a worm, Kakivoria flavofasciata, analogous to 
 the codling moth of the apple, does considerable damage in some dis- 
 tricts. Sweet varieties are more subject to attack than astringent and 
 it is often necessary to bag the fruit to insure perfect specimens. 
 
 In New South Wales, Australia, persimmons were at one time quite 
 largely planted near Sydney but on account of the depredations of 
 fruit flies the trees were grubbed out. In recent years, certain methods 
 of controlling the fruit fly have been developed, and persimmons are 
 again being planted. These two records of insect pests emphasize the 
 need for strict quarantine measures to prevent their introduction into 
 California. 
 
 The most serious insect pest of the persimmon in the Southern 
 States is the twig girdler Oncideres cingulata. Its infestations have 
 deterred some people from planting trees extensively. The white peach 
 scale, the San Jose scale, the twig girdler, and the orange white fly 
 attack the tree in Florida. 
 
 A few trees out of forty thousand imported into this state from 
 Japan early in 1919 were found upon inspection to be infested with 
 the eggs of the Japanese Cicada, Mantis eggs, and an occasional Pseudo- 
 coccus. The trees showing infestation were destroyed. Some stock 
 imported under permit from Florida and Texas were found to contain a 
 large borer, supposed to be Sannina uroceriformis, and the trees were 
 also destroyed. 
 
 In California the barnacle scale and the white peach scale have been 
 found on the persimmon tree but neither is serious. In Placer County 
 the attacks of a larva, probably that of the codling moth, causes Maru 
 fruits to ripen and drop prematurely. At the University Farm, Davis, 
 the larvae of the red-humped caterpillar, Schizura concinna, appear to 
 \je fond of persimmon leaves and, unless controlled, defoliate the trees. 
 
Bulletin 316 the KAKI OR ORIENTAL PERSIMMON 265 
 
 PERSIMMON LITERATURE 
 
 1. 1872, W. P. H., The Costata Persimmon, California Horticulturist, Vol. 2, 
 
 p. 217. 
 
 2. 1877, Ed., Japanese Persimmons, California Horticulturist, Vol. 7, pp. 69, 
 
 73, 90, 237, 281, 376. 
 
 3. 1877, Colby, G. E., Analysis, Report of the College of Agriculture, University 
 
 of California 1877, p. 61. 
 
 4. 1880, The Japanese Persimmon, Same report for 1880, p. 67. 
 
 5. 1882, lQ.ee, W. G., The Lotus or Italian Persimmon, Same report for 1882, 
 
 p. 102. 
 
 6. 1886, Saunders, Wm., Early History, Report of the U. S. Department of 
 
 Agriculture for 1886, pp. 692, 693. 
 
 7. 1887, Van Deman, H. E., History and Varieties, Report of the Department 
 
 for 1887, pp. 642-645. 
 
 8. 1891, Same, Kaki in Georgia and Florida, Report of the Department for 1891, 
 
 pp. 385-387. 
 
 9. 1894, Price, R. H., Varieties, Bulletin 32, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. 
 
 10. 1897, Saunders, Wm., Japan Persimmons, Yearbook, U. S. D. A. for 1897, 
 
 pp. 187. 
 
 11. 1897, Shinn, C. H., Persimmons, 15th Report of the California Agricultural 
 
 Experiment Station, p. 320. 
 
 12. 1899, Watts, R. L., American and Japanese Persimmons, Tennessee Experi- 
 
 ment Station, Bulletin, Vol. XI, No. 1, pp. 191-219 McBryde, J. B., 
 Notes on the Chemistry of the Persimmon. 
 
 13. 1904, Hume, H. H. and Reimer, F. C, Japanese Persimmons, Bulletin 71, 
 
 Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, pp. 69-110. 
 
 14. 1906, Howard, B. J., Tannin Cells of the Persimmon, Bulletin of the Torrey 
 
 Botanical Club, Vol. 33, p. 567. 
 
 15. 1907, Burnett, F. H., Japanese Persimmons, Bulletin 99, Louisiana Agricultural 
 
 Experiment Station, 23 pp. 13 figs. 
 
 16. 1907, Roeding, Geo., Unpuckering Persimmons, Pacific Rural Press, p. 333, 
 
 Nov. 23, 1907. 
 
 17. 1909, Onderdonk, G., Persimmon in Texas, Bulletin 9, Texas Department of 
 
 Agriculture, p. 43. 
 
 18. 1909, Hume, H. H., Nonfruiting of Japanese Persimmons Due to Lack of Pollen, 
 
 Science n.s., Vol. 30, p. 308. 
 
 19. 1941, Lloyd, F. E., Tannin, Colloid Complexes in the Fruit of the Persimmon, 
 
 Biochemical Bulletin, Vol. 1, pp. 7-41. 
 
 20. 1911, Lloyd, F. E., Behavior of Tannin in Persimmons — Plant World, Vol. 14, 
 
 pp. 1-14. 
 
266 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 21. 1911, Meyer, F. N., Persimmon in North China, Bulletin 204, Bureau of Plant 
 
 Industry, U. S. D. A. pp. 10-16. 
 
 22. 1911, Gore, H. C, et al., Experiments on Processing, Bulletin 141, Bureau of 
 
 Chemistry, U. S. D. A. 
 
 23. 1912, Gore, H. C, et al.. Large scale experiments on processing, notes on the 
 
 preparation of dried persimmons, Bulletin 155, Bureau of Chemistry, 
 U. S. D. A. 
 
 24. 1913, Hume, H. H., The Flowers of Diospyros kaki, Transactions Academy 
 
 Science, St. Louis, Vol. XXII, No. 5, pp. 125-135 plates. 
 
 25. 1914, Hume, H. H., Planting Persimmons, Journal of Heredity, Vol. 5, No. 3, 
 
 pp. 131-138. 
 
 26. 1914, Hume, H. H., A Kaki Classification, Journal of Heredity, Vol. 5, No. 9, 
 
 pp. 400-406. 
 
 27. 1914, Hume, H. H., Effect of Pollination on the Fruit of Dospyros kaki, Pro- 
 
 ceedings of the Society for Horticultural Science for 1913, pp. 88-93, 
 March 1914. 
 
 28. 1915, Fletcher, W. F., The Native Persimmon, Farmer's Bulletin 685, U. S. 
 
 D. A., Illustrated. 
 
 29. 1916, Lloyd, F. E., The Red Color of the Mesocarp of Seeded Fruits in the 
 
 Persimmon, Plant World, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 106-113. 
 
STATION PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR FEEE DISTRIBUTION 
 
 BULLETINS 
 
 No. 
 168. 
 
 169. 
 174. 
 185. 
 
 208. 
 216. 
 
 230. 
 242. 
 250. 
 251. 
 
 252. 
 253. 
 
 255. 
 257. 
 261. 
 
 262. 
 
 263. 
 264. 
 266. 
 
 267. 
 268. 
 270. 
 
 271. 
 272. 
 273. 
 
 274. 
 
 275. 
 
 276. 
 277. 
 278. 
 279. 
 280. 
 
 No. 
 50. 
 65. 
 69. 
 70. 
 
 76. 
 82. 
 
 87. 
 107. 
 
 109. 
 
 110. 
 111. 
 
 113. 
 114. 
 115. 
 117. 
 
 124. 
 126. 
 127. 
 
 Observations on Some Vine Diseases 
 in Sonoma County. 
 
 Tolerance of the Sugar Beet for Alkali. 
 
 A New Wine Cooling Machine. 
 
 Report of Progress in Cereal Investi- 
 gations. 
 
 The Late Blight of Celery. 
 
 A Progress Report upon Soil and Cli- 
 matic Factors Influencing the Com- 
 position of Wheat. 
 
 Enological Investigations. 
 
 Humus in California Soils. 
 
 The Loquat. 
 
 Utilization of the Nitrogen and Organio 
 Matter in Septic and Imhoff Tank 
 Sludges. 
 
 Deterioration of Lumber. 
 
 Irrigation and Soil Conditions in the 
 Sierra Nevada Foothills, California. 
 
 The Citricola Scale. 
 
 New Dosage Tables. 
 
 Melaxuma of the Walnut, "Juglans 
 regia." 
 
 Citrus Diseases of Florida and Cuba 
 Compared with Those of California. 
 
 Size Grades for Ripe Olives. 
 
 The Calibration of the Leakage Meter. 
 
 A Spotting of Citrus Fruits Due to the 
 Action of Oil Liberated from the 
 Rind. 
 
 Experiments with Stocks for Citrus. 
 
 Growing and Grafting Olive Seedlings. 
 
 A Comparison of Annual Cropping, Bi- 
 ennial Cropping, and Green Manures 
 on the Yield of Wheat. 
 
 Feeding Dairy Calves in California. 
 
 Commercial Fertilizers. 
 
 Preliminary Report on Kearney Vine- 
 yard Experimental Drain. 
 
 The Common Honey Bee as an Agent 
 in Prune Pollination. 
 
 The Cultivation of Belladonna in Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 The Pomegranate. 
 
 Sudan Grass. 
 
 Grain Sorghums. 
 
 Irrigation of Rice in California. 
 
 Irrigation of Alfalfa in the Sacramento 
 Valley. 
 
 No. 
 281. 
 
 282. 
 
 283. 
 284. 
 285. 
 286. 
 288. 
 
 290. 
 
 292. 
 
 293. 
 296. 
 297. 
 298. 
 299. 
 
 300. 
 301. 
 
 802. 
 
 303. 
 304. 
 
 305. 
 
 306. 
 307. 
 308. 
 
 309. 
 
 310. 
 311. 
 312. 
 313. 
 
 314. 
 315. 
 316. 
 317. 
 
 318. 
 
 Fumigation Scheduling. 
 
 The California Insecticide Law. 
 
 The Extermination of Morning-Glory. 
 
 Observations on the Status of Corn 
 Growing in California. 
 
 Hot Room Callusing. 
 
 The Common Ground Squirrels of 
 California. 
 
 Alfalfa. 
 
 Spraying Walnut Trees for Blight and 
 Aphis Control. 
 
 Community or Local Extension Work 
 by the High School Agricultural De- 
 partment. 
 
 Green Manuring in California. 
 
 The Use of Lime and Gypsum on Cali- 
 fornia Soils. 
 
 Correspondence Courses in Agriculture. 
 
 Increasing the Duty of Water. 
 
 Grafting Vinifera Vineyards. 
 
 The Selection and Cost of a Small 
 Pumping Plant. 
 
 Alfalfa Silage for Fattening Steers. 
 
 Spraying for the Grape Leaf Hopper. 
 
 House Fumigation. 
 
 CIRCULARS 
 
 No. 
 
 128. 
 129. 
 130. 
 131. 
 133. 
 135. 
 136. 
 137. 
 138. 
 139. 
 
 140. 
 
 142. 
 
 143. 
 
 144. 
 147. 
 148. 
 151. 
 152. 
 
 Control of the Pocket Gopher in Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 Trials with California Silage Crops for 
 Dairy Cows. 
 
 The Olive Insects of California. 
 
 Irrigation of Alfalfa in Imperial Valley. 
 
 The Milch Goat in California. 
 
 Commercial Fertilizers. 
 
 Potash from Tule and the Fertilizer 
 Value of Certain Marsh Plants. 
 
 The June Drop of Washington Navel 
 Oranges. 
 
 Green Manure Crops in Southern Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 Sweet Sorghums for Forage. 
 
 Topping and Pinching Vines. 
 
 The Almond in California. 
 
 Seedless Raisin Grapes. 
 
 The Use of Lumber on California 
 Farms. 
 
 Commercial Fertilizers. 
 
 California State Dairy Cow Competi- 
 tion, 1916-18. 
 
 Control of Ground Squirrels by the 
 Fumigation Method. 
 
 Grape Syrup. 
 
 A Study on the Effects of Freezes on 
 Citrus in California. 
 
 The Influence of Barley on the Milk 
 Secretion of Cows. 
 
 Almond Pollination. 
 
 Pollination of the Bartlett Pear. 
 
 I. Fumigation with Liquid Hydrocianic 
 Acid. II. Physical and Chemical 
 Properties of Liquid Hydrocianic 
 Acid. 
 
 I. The Carob in California. II. Nutri- 
 tive Value of the Carob Bean. 
 
 Plum Pollination. 
 
 Investigations with Milking Machines. 
 
 Mariout Barley. 
 
 Pruning Young Deciduous Fruit 
 Trees. 
 
 Cow-Testing Associations in California. 
 
 Commercial Fertilizers. 
 
 The Kaki or Oriental Persimmon. 
 
 Selection of Stocks in Citrus Propaga- 
 tion. 
 
 The Effects of Alkali on Citrus Trees. 
 
 Insecticide Formulas. 
 
 The Control of Citrus Insects. 
 
 Cabbage Growing in California. 
 
 Spraying for Control of Walnut Aphis. 
 
 County Farm Adviser. 
 
 Official Tests of Dairy Cows. 
 
 Melilotus Indica. 
 
 Wood Decay in Orchard Trees. 
 
 The Silo in California Agriculture. 
 
 The Generation of Hydrocyanic Acid 
 Gas in Fumigation by Portable 
 Machines. 
 
 The Practical Application of Improved 
 Methods of Fermentation in Califor- 
 nia Wineries during 1913 and 1914. 
 
 Practical and Inexpensive Poultry 
 Appliances. 
 
 Control of Grasshoppers in Imperial 
 Valley. 
 
 Oidium or Powdery Mildew of the Vine. 
 
 Tomato Growing in California. 
 
 "Lungworms". 
 
 Feeding and Management of Hogs. 
 
 Some Observations on the Bulk Hand- 
 ling of Grain in California. 
 
CIRCULARS— Continued 
 
 No. No. 
 
 153. Announcement of the California State 184. 
 
 Dairy Cow Competition, 1916-18. 185, 
 
 154. Irrigation Practice in Growing Small 
 
 Fruits in California. 187. 
 
 155. Bovine Tuberculosis. 188. 
 
 156. How to Operate an Incubator. 189. 
 
 157. Control of the Pear Scab. 190. 
 
 158. Home and Farm Canning. 191. 
 160. Lettuce Growing in California. 193. 
 162. White Diarrhoea and Coccidiosis of 195. 
 
 Chicks. 
 
 164. Small Fruit Culture in California. 197. 
 
 165. Fundamentals of Sugar Beet Culture 
 
 under California Conditions. 198. 
 
 166. The County Farm Bureau. 199. 
 
 167. Feeding Stuffs of Minor Importance. 200. 
 
 168. Spraying for the Control of Wild 
 
 Morning-Glory within the Fog Belt. 201. 
 
 169. The 1918 Grain Crop. 202. 
 
 170. Fertilizing California Soils for the 
 
 1918 Crop. 203. 
 
 172. Wheat Culture. 204. 
 
 173. The Construction of the Wood-Hoop 
 
 Silo. 205. 
 
 174. Farm Drainage Methods. 206. 
 
 175. Progress Report on the Marketing and 207. 
 
 Distribution of Milk. 208. 
 
 176. Hog Cholera Prevention and the Serum 
 
 Treatment. 209. 
 
 177. Grain Sorghums. 210. 
 
 178. The Packing of Apples in California. 211. 
 
 179. Factors of Importance in Producing 212. 
 
 Milk of Low Bacterial Count. 213. 
 
 181. Control of the California Ground 214. 
 
 Squirrel. 
 
 182. Extending the Area of Irrigated Wheat 215. 
 
 in California for 1918. 216. 
 
 183. Infectious Abortion in Cows. 
 
 A Flock of Sheep on the Farm. 
 
 Beekeeping for the Fruit-grower and 
 Small Rancher or Amateur. 
 
 Utilizing the Sorghums. 
 
 Lambing Sheds. 
 
 Winter Forage Crops. 
 
 Agriculture Clubs in California, 
 
 Pruning the Seedless Grapes. 
 
 A Study of Farm Labor in California. 
 
 Revised Compatibility Chart of Insecti- 
 cides and Fungicides. 
 
 Suggestions for Increasing Egg Produc- 
 tion in a Time of High-Feed Prices. 
 
 Syrup from Sweet Sorghum. 
 
 Onion Growing in California. 
 
 Growing the Fall or Second Crop of 
 Potatoes in California. 
 
 Helpful Hints to Hog Raisers. 
 
 County Organization for Rural Fire 
 Control. 
 
 Peat as a Manure Substitute. 
 
 Handbook of Plant Diseases and Pest 
 Control. 
 
 Blackleg. 
 
 Jack Cheese. 
 
 Neufchatel Cheese. 
 
 Summary of the Annual Reports of the 
 Farm Advisors of California. 
 
 The Function of the Farm Bureau. 
 
 Suggestions to the Settler in California. 
 
 Saving Raisins by Sulfuring. 
 
 Salvaging Rain-Damaged Prunes. 
 
 Evaporators for Prune Drying. 
 
 Seed Treatment for the Prevention of 
 Cereal Smuts. 
 
 Feeding Dairy Cows in California. 
 
 Winter Injury or Die-Back of the Wal- 
 nut.