“ It was brought to England before 1629 and is cultivated, but rarely if ever ripens its fruit. It is easily raised from seed and can also be propagated from stolons, which are often produced in great quantity. The Chinese and Japanese cultivate another species, the Diospyros Kaki, of which there exist numerous ill-defined varieties. The fruits are larger than those of the American kind, variable in shape, but have similar properties. An astringent fluid, known as shibu, rich in tannin, is expressed from the green fruit and used in various industries. ”