To save on the expense of my other web site I will be moving my articles there to hear so I can shut it down later.

Persimmon Seed Buttons By Boyd Miles copyright 2003, 2004 by Boyd Miles I ran across a mention of persimmon seeds used as buttons. Well, I have a persimmon tree or two near the house and I use a lot of buttons so I thought this sounded like a good experiment. Late fall early winter try to find some persimmons. I have a few around and found out they were actually different. One tree had very round fruit and the seeds were round and very flat, the other had oval fruit and the seeds were longer and thicker. The round flat ones look more like buttons but the others will work. With the help of two small children I gathered a bucketful of persimmons. This is a good activity for children, lots of sticky persimmons to play with. Place the persimmons in a pot of water and boil for a few minutes, about 5 minutes worked for me. The messy part is next; one by one squeeze the buttons out of the now firm boiled persimmons. Boiling both firms the persimmon pulp it also allows the seed to slip out of the covering, you can hardly separate the seed without boiling. The seeds will need to be rinsed and I boiled them again for about one minute to firm them up and to remove all traces of sticky pulp. Dry the seeds (air dry on a plate or cloth, they will stick to paper). Drill two holes 1/16" drill bit. I mounted a bit in a short piece of dowel rod and drilled the holes by hand power but if you are careful you could use a power drill just don't blame me when you drill through your hand. I did a test wash by sewing a few buttons to a scrap of cloth and washing and drying by machine. They held up to the one wash and should do even better with hand washing and line drying. Good Southern buttons at little or no cost, can't beat that. Historical notes: Online: Save the seeds of the persimmon after they have been boiled, and you let out the slop; for they are excellent for coffee, rather stronger and rougher than the genuine Rio [South American coffee, usually imported from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] hence I mix two parts of dried potatoes to one of persimmon seeds. By the boiling the seeds are rid of all mucilaginous substances and just right for coffee or buttons. If you use them for buttons, the washerwoman will hardly break them with her battling stick. For coffee, they should be parched twice as long as any other substitute, so as to make them tender in the centre. From the Confederate Baptist, Columbia SC, Nov. 18, 1863. Printed: Gourds, horns, pasteboard, and persimmon seeds were sometimes converted into buttons. Ersatz in the Confederacy By Mary Elizabeth Massey Boiling them sticks and all. Ready to squeeze out the seeds. Seeds ready to wash, dry and drill. Without boiling you have this hard to remove pulp. Take my word for it and boil them whole. Text and images copyright Boyd Miles 2003. Ask for permission to copy this article on your website.