The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-12-25
The Farm and Grove.
JAPANESE PERsIMMoN.
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II, E. STOCKBRIDGE, PHI. D., Editor.
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JAPANESE PERsIMMoN.
Kaki, as this fruit is becoming gener-
ally called, is simply the Japanese name
for the persimmOn, and does not mean
either cultivated variety or any special
form or condition OF the fruit The name
is simply the Japanese equivalent for our
word persimmon, exactly as pomme Is
the French equivalent for our word app e,
and has no other significance.
This fruit is becoming more and more
favorite in the market, so that its
planting is sure to bring profit to the
grower. 1t is hardy anywhere In the
Gulf states and is extremely thrifty and
easily grown, It has the great advan-
tage of ripening at time when the Sec
ton In which it thrives best is nearly
without other fresh fruits. By a careful
selection of varieties q constant success
sion of ripe persimmons may be had
from September to New Years. The
seedless kind are not equal to those bear
ing seeds, as the gelatinous mass sur
rounding the seeds Is the most delicious
part of the flesh. The complaint some
times heard against the palatability OF
the fruit is founded on ignorance OF the
conditions essential to its perfection
The fruit only reaches perfection when
thoroughly ripe-so ripe that over-ripe-
ness would be suspected OF any other
fruit This stage is never reached on
the tree. Ripening after picking is as
essential as with winter pear or rus
set apple. When In this condition the
pu p becomes mass of gelatinous jelly,
only satisfactorily eaten with a spoon.
In this state it is one OF the most deli
cious OF all fruits and for which no ac-
ouired taste is necessary. have never
seen person who did not enjoy the
[, nit when eaten In this condition.
The Japanese invariably enhance its
pa atabilily by putting the fruit through
sweat. 1t is gathered when well col
ored but still perfectly hard. Great care
is exercised that the fruit Is not bruised,
each kaki being laid carefully down by
itself They are then carefully and close
ly packed In layers in wooden tubs and
headed up solid. Each tub holds about
one bushel of the fruit, which is stored
away in this nearly alright condition for
six weeks. During this time it under
goes a sweat, or incipient fermentation,
and when taken from the tubs it ripens
In few days Fruit treated in this way
possesses an aroma and character 1t
never attains in any other way. BY the
Japanese and Europeans who have eaten
1t when thus treated the persimmon Is
held In higher esteem than any other
| fruit.
SELLING HAY.
In many localities where, very few
years ago, the only bale Of hay ever seen
was the abomlLation shipped from the
north, tales of native hay OF excellent
quality are becoming nearly as common
as cotton bales or fruit and vegetable
crates. This change marks wonderful
Transformation in our agricultural con-
ditlons 1t is the forerunner of The pros
perity and independence Of our farmers.
The condition, however, entails certain
responsibilities and precautions on those
who would take full advantage of the
possibilities offered and prevent a pres
ent blessing from becoming misfortune
in disguise.
The chief popularity Of our hay pro-
duction lies in the fact that our product
is mostly produced as second usually
volunteer) crop on land which has al
ready produced one crop which has been
removed without contributing anything
toward maintaining the fertility OF the
soil. Under former and more nearly nat
ural conditions this hay crop came as a
protection against the burning and ex-
hausting effects of the midsummer sun.
1t shaded the land on which it grew and
later decayed ON its scrface. and becom-
Ing again r. stored to the soil, kept up or
even increased its crop-making power.
By removing this growth In the form of
baled hay the land is subject to second
and continued drain. Instead of being
allowed to recuperate after the cultivated
crop OF the season is removed, the land
is compelled to keep at work making a
second crop, which is also removed.
How many farmers take this perfectly
apparent fact into consideration in the
preparing or fertilizing of their land?
When the hay thus made Is used on
the farm as food for the stock, and the
manure resulting from feeding the same
is applied to the land from which the
hay came, the question of maintaining
fertility is largely solved. This Is far
from the case when the hay is sold and
its Qu!valent In some other form is not
restored to the soil from which the hay
was taken. The selling of hay is really
the slow-selling of the land itself, the
gradual removing Of the soil ingredients
which make crops possible and the land
valuable The practice inevitably finally
results in impoverlshing the land, unless
some means be adopted for counterfeit
ing this unnatural drain upon the crop
making power of the soil.
The Simplest, most rational and de-
sirable method for accomplishing this
most desired end Of making hay Without
soil deterioration is the feeding Of the
hay on the farm. OF course this is not
always practicable, though far more so
than present practice would lead one to
infer. The next, and often the best,
available method is the use of legumin-
Gus plant as hay crop. Cowpess, vel
vet-beans and beggarweed admirably
meet the requirements. Either of these
makes superior hay, and each takes its
nitrogen from the air without expense to
the grower. The eowpeas and beggar-
weed are both second crops, and the lat
ter is easily made volunteer crop, COM
ing in annually where desired. II should
be remembered. however, that their
mineral matter is taken from the soil |
and should be supplied artiacially u