Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-18

tFrom the Plnehurst( y. ca Outlook.l
Just two years ago | went forth one
fine January morning to search the
surrounding country for some plants
needed for the plantations in town.
In due time found what wanted but
instead of being contented with IN!
easy success,I went further on and soon
came into trouble---thnt Is. | lost my
way-and dinner hour came before J
knew where | was at" l did not need
TO stnrVc, however, and II was then and
there that the resources of this seem
ingly so dcsolate country became ap-
parent to me, and though no hospital
bile shanty was visible. the woods laid
the table, and a dainty one In the bar
gain. for / could feast on persimmons,
drink my own and the rest of man
kinds health in clear lcc-cool spring
water, and finish up by finding my
dessert in prickly pears. 1t may NOT ne
quite devoid of interest that ! dlscoN-
cred soon after that | had not been far
from Pinehurst at all, only had cir
cled around the town instead of cut
ting thorough. Since that day l nave
preserved a deep gratitude toward our
native fruits, and l always try to cul-
tivate the taste of our guests from the
North 30 that they may share my
liking.
For those who like to know little
more of the whereabouts of the per-
| simmons | write the following notes:
The perslmmon CDiospyros virginiana)
! grows nearly everywhere in NorthCarO-
! lima and is found as far north as New
| York state and Rhode Island but COM
monty 1t is not hardy beyond Philadcl-
| phia. 1t will be easily recognized in
| our woods by it's perfectly symmetrical
| growth, and its grayish, somewhat
rough bark, and last, but not
least, by its fruits. Though
III. Ia
twenty feet with us. there are speci-
mems in this vicinity over forty feet
tall and of n trunk diameter of about
fifteen inches. (McKenzie's farm) The
foliage is bright green and glossy, APP
pears early and changes to purple be-
fore dropping. The rather insignihcan'
whitish blossoms open in June, arr
fragrant and much relished by bees
they are followed by the quick develop
ing fruit which attalns its full size an,
color by August. But woe to the inves
tigating stranger who might b.
tempted to try these inviting looiiint
plumb-like fruits. Holy horror will sooi
depict itself upon his face, and hi
, mouth will take all kinds of form
from whistling to n broad grin. ii
i will swear OF the siise of persimmon
for all time to come, and-will Xix
/. them the more later on. For, mind y,
at that time the fruits are puckerin
4
want to be left quite alone.
Z Everything. however. cometh unit
him who waits, and the first earl
p frost will accomplish quite a marve
/ Gus mctamorphosis. Instead of look
! ing smooth and plump any more, the
+ will then be somewhat withercd AM
/ best of all. the despisable astringer
. taste will have made way to a d,
4 licious sweetness resembling some
!. what that of dates. Now the tin
has come for man and rossum
, revel in simmons. The gourmet wi
! fare even better yet by following IL
n old druggists ad1ge. shaken befoi
I taken" and accordingly he shakes II
tree and does not mind to pick up II
y Juicy fruit from the ground. The riI
n fruits are sometimes used in the NAL
. ing of n beer--'simmons reer-whio
A is said to be mot bad;" while the fei
4 mented fruit furnishes brandy thi
4 improves with age. The wood
!. found very useful for shoe lasts, ma
!, let's and Vlolins, and is regarded rs a
: equal to ash or beech and nearly con
:, ing IN to hickory. A decoctlon of Il
: astringent inner bark is supposed
+ he salubrious against intermlttel
l. feverS.
, There halls from Japan arothe" sp
l. cies of persimmuus. the INosnyr'
g kaki, which offers some special az
g yantages. 1t bears much largcr,aI
!, possibly sweeter fruits than our NJ
~ tive representative. and the fruits a
q ms delicious before as they are aft
= frosts. This japanese persiinnons
n fairly hardy with us. and under pr
n pagation now In our nurseries.