Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-03
THE UNPOPULAR PERSIMMON
BY FREDERIC j. HAsi<IN

WASHINGTON. November 2.---Last
week bushels Of ripe pcrsmmons were
wasted In Washington. In spite OF the
widespread gospel of food conservation.
large persimmon tree. which stands
on one of the city's most crowded bu"i-
ness corners WAS permitted TO shed its
fruit unheeded. Every day thousands
of pedestrians hurried past this cor
ner. their minds occupied by the rising
cost of food. hut no one ever noticed
pcrsimmon. unless IL was to scrape a
piece of the ripe fruit of his shoe.
Washington Is right at the end OF the
pcrsimmon belt. which extends
throughout the southeastern states
from Maryland to Missouri. In the
suburbs surrounding the city there arc
many splendid pcrsimmon trees. bear
ing delicious mellow fruit. but il is sell
dom gathered. Except for an occas-
ional band Of sunday mixers or hungry
small boys the persimmon appears -
have few admirers. One suburbanite
has eleven pcrsimmon trees in his
backyard, and he clearly regards il as
Il great misfortune He is always
threatening to cut them down for kind
ling. being prevented from doing SO
only by the fear that the wood will not
burn.
Yet in the days when America and
the pcrsimmon were first discovered.
it's praises were sung all the way TO
Europe. De Soto was the first to he
greatly impressed with it's food value.
In 1851 an enthusiastic account Of tho
Dersimmon appeared under his sigma
turc at Evora. Portugal. which spread
Co.., nF
The next year Jan de Lact devoted
many pages TO description OF the
fruit in his book on Virginia. Both
spoke Of II as a delicious little plum"
Then came tho memoirs OF Captain
John Smith. which also referred To IL
az a plum, with the flavor OF an april
cot"
No Wide Demand Follows.
Whether or not tho pcrsimrnon iaii@n
to live up TO the glowing accounts -,
these various gentlemen when IL at last
appeared in Europe is not known. but
certainly no wide demand grew up for
it in that country. Here. too. it's fame
has dwindlch through the years until.
unless it's ancient popularity is re-
vived it will doubtless not he long be-
fore tn" fruit will lac numbered anon.
Americas extinct species.
Yet. according TO the United Stat"s
Department; of hEricui.urc the per-
simmon is we'll worth cul,ivatlnr NJ
other fruit with the exception OF the
date can equal il in food value; IL is
distinctly edible whcn ripe and its
wood is valuable TO manufacturers Of
cotton mill supplies. who use il in
making bobbins The wood. which is
strong and at the same time elastic. IL
also used 10 make shoe lasts.
+, l.. milford landscape gardener o.
tho Department Of Agriculture. also
considers the pcrsmmon an excellent
shade tree. AS an ornament 70,
lawns" he saws, the pcrsifninon COM
parcs favorahly with any "f tn" shade
trees used on private grounds. provided
that II does not ovcrhnuc a sidewalk
where the dropping Of fruits il objcc-
,ionable. The broad glossy leaves on
tho gracefully dropping branches give
:, dense shade from early spring unt!
late fall. and in tho early summer the
little waX-lke flowers MI the air with
delicious fragrance. somewhat re-
"cmblinC that OF tho Gala lily"
That the pcrsmmon is not more non
ular as a fruit is doubtless due TO lis
taste when unrpc. There is nothing
worse than an unripc persimnon un-
''SN ~ ~ ~ Sl.t = III NoSc or iNlnlnc.
w +. Fletcher, genealogical cxpcr, of
the Department Of Agriculture. saws
That Their" is widespread heller that
tn" persimmon is not ripe until i, has
been attacked by frost. which of
course. is not so. As "a matter OF fac.
ne asserts. freezing is as detrimental
TO the quality Of pcrsimmcns as to the
quality OF an" other fruit. II they are
not edible and fire" from astrincc,.cv
before frost. ii is because the variety
Is Il latc one and the fruit has not yet
matured.
Too Many Varieties.
And here You nave one reason for
the unpopularity of the persimmon
There are too many different varieties.
Some ripen carly in August; others in
october, ana still others not unt;l Feb
ruarT. Around Washington for in.
stance. YOU vii! find growing side by
side, trees which ripcn their fruit in