The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-04-26
THE KAKI.

THE KAKI.
1t has always been a marvel to me that the
kaki should be called diospyrOs, or the "fruit OF
the gods" II the idea that the gods were
naturally ill-tempered and required constant con-
citations, and then after a long time of Immature
became at once very good, perhaps this fruit
might, in a measure represent their character.
For if there be a fruit more unpalatable dis
gushing to the taste than most varieties of the
kaki are, when green and immature, think it
hard to find.
But notwithstanding the uncomprOmising na-
ture of the fruit while it is yet growing, when
properly de yeloped and ripened, it is fruit that
both the gods and men might delight to share.
The kaki is best grown the native persim-
mon (Diospyros Virginiana) stock. The wild
trees may be worked by budding or grating
where they are found growing, and some of the
finest specimens of the fruit ever saw were from
such trees growing in the wire grass without cul-
tivation or fertilization.
I would recommend that the wild trees be
worked one season before setting, If they are to
be taken up and placed in grove FORM December
is probably the best month for transplanting.
1t is best to work the stock so low down that
in transplantinG the point of connection may be
from four to six inches below the surface of the
ground when reset. l have found trees to do
very we'll for time worked in the top, but the
late frosts of the past three years have ruined
many such.
The best trees, however. are made from stocks
that are grown from the seeds of the
wild persimmons, and they may be worked the
second year and placed in the grove the wear
following, and these have more fbrous roots
and bear transplantng and grow off more vigOr
ously than trees on the wild roots for most of
them are only sprouts sprung from the lateral
roots of other trees, and have ostly one lateral
root from which the sprout grew without any,
or but few feeding roots.
For varieties must refer you to nursery
men, and Florida has some of the best in the
whole round world" The difficulty of 1T
ting names to trees or trees to names is fully
known to all who have attempted to cultivate
this fruit. In the discussion of this subject in
our last years NEE Jing, in our horticultural re-
port, page 40, am made to say, Il have three
varieties of the kaki old enough for fruiting. I
find them all the same" How they can be vari-
cites and yet all the same may puzzle the expert.
to say nothing of the common herd"
What should have said, and perhaps did say,
was, that, procuring three different varieties,
bearing different names, / found them all the
same variety when they fruited And SO we have
been puzzled and disappointed from the begin
Ming Mr. Berckmans began the work OF bring
ing order out of the confusion, and own
Taber has done so well that one beginning now
need not go astray.
1 consider the kaki great addition to our
honey producing trees, especially those varieties
that make full bloom of sterile flowers.
There is great variation of the fruit often on
the same tree. Our little Ting that think no
one has once yet wronged by misnaming, has
the freak of producing fruit different that they
we'll might be called distinct varieties. In cat
quite dark, very sweet and rich, best quality
While this is true of the earlier ripening speci-
mems, and / might add full of Seeds other
specimens on the same tree ripen later nearly or
quite seedless. pulp pale pink or orange color,
DRYER and more agreeable to any than the ear
lier ones Ihad one that produced all it's fruit OF
the later kind that was killed by the freeze on
that fatal st. Patrick's morning four years ago.
1t was in full foliage covered with bloom, and
perished as tomato plant would in the same
degree of cold.
The profit of the kaki as market crop seems
fully settled by the sales of last seasons fruit.
Returns show from So to 81 per box, and coming
when there is nothing else to sell in the fruit line
will help fill the season.
THE discussion in reference to the kaki
will be published in next weeks issue
Ed.