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THE CULTURE OF THE DATE PALM.* 



The date palm (Phavtix dactylifera) is cultivated principally in 

 Northern Africa and in the countries bordering on the Persian 

 Gulf. Its tall, straight trunk, covered with the scars of fallen leaf- 

 stalks, and surmounted with a tuft of feathery leaves attains a great 

 height — ^often of over 8o feet. It has the male and female flowers 

 on separate individuals, and in its natural state the female flowers 

 are pollinated by the wind. Each female tree produces from six 

 to twenty flower clusters, each of which gives rise to a bunch of 

 dates. The trees live to a great age and have been known to pro- 

 duce good crops up to 200 years of age. At the base of the stem 

 a number of suckers arise, and by these offshoots the tree should 

 be propagated, since the date palm is very liable to variation. 



The average exports of dates from the Persian Gulf region for 

 the five years ended 1902 amounted, according to figures contained 

 in the Consular Report on the trade of the Persian Gulf for the 

 year 1903, to 167,301 cwt. 



As will be seen from the following pages, many attempts, some 

 attended with considerable success, have been made to introduce 

 the cultivation of the date palm into different parts of the world 

 and to establish a date industry. Up to the present, so far as we 

 know, the only place out of Africa and the Persian Gulf region, 

 in which real success has been achieved, is in the island of St. 

 Helena. It appears likely, however that good results will be ob- 

 tained in certain districts of the south-west of the United States. 



In the following short account of the culture of the date palm 

 free use has been made of three publications of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, viz., a paper in the Yearbook for 1900, 

 entitled ' The Date Palm and its Culture,' and BiiUctin No. 53 of 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry, 'The Date Palm and its utilization 

 in the south-western States,' both by Mr. Walter T. Swingle ; and 

 Bulletin No. 54 of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 'Persian Gulf 

 Dates and their introduction into America,' by Mr. David G. Fair- 

 child. 



CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE DATE PALM. 



The date palm requires above everything else, a plentiful sup- 

 ply of water for its roots, and a hot, dry atmosphere in which to 

 mature its fruits. There are many districts, including parts of the 

 West Indies, where the tree has grown well, but where it is doubt- 

 ful if good fruits will be obtained on account of the humidity of 

 the atmostphere. On the other hand, such climatic conditions as 

 are required by the date palm are known to exist in parts of the 

 United States, and it is upon this fact that the hopes for its suc- 

 cessful introduction as a new industry in that country are based. 



It would appear advisable to state clearly the requirements of 

 the date as to climate and water supply. 



Heat. — One of the principal requirements of the date is a high 

 temperature, especially when it is maturing its fruit. In the win- 



* Fi-om the " West Indian Bulletin," Vol. V, 1904, p. 139. 



