448 TwicxTv-i;i(;irrH Annual Rkport 



Dry dates in general came through the rainy season success- 

 fully. 



These observations indicate that the climate of the region, evjn 

 with the assurance afforded by ripening operations indoors, to a 

 considerable extent controls the harvesting of the date crop, a fact 

 which, however, is not in itself unusual or discouraging inasmuch 

 as the date growing regions of the Old World are to some extent 

 similarly affected by rains during the harvest season, especially on 

 the Persian Gulf, Avhere, it is stated, some years an almost complete 

 loss of the date crop is caused by untimely rains. 



At the present time cultural, packing house, and marketing 

 experiences with date palms at the Tempe date orchard, place 

 Hayany, an Egyptian variet}', distinctly in the lead. This variety 

 is a very heavy bearer. The fruit is large, easily picked and cheaply 

 harvested. It ripens well on the tree and in adverse seasons lends 

 itself readily to artificial ripening operations. The finished product 

 presents and attractive appearance and the cpiality is fairly good. 

 The American public has also expressed in a majority of cases a 

 distinct preference for this variety. 



Rhars also is a heavy bearer and the fruit is liked by many 

 consumers. It ripens scatteringly on the tree, however, and is not 

 easily picked. It sours very readily in wet weather. 



Deglet Noor has given satisfactory results at Tempe only dur- 

 ing the exceptionally dry and favorable autumn of 1915. It is not 

 recommended for planting in the Salt River Valley, although un- 

 doubtedly a superior variety at lower altitudes having a longer 

 season and a drier climate. 



Other excellent -varieties are represented by few trees only, 

 some of which are still young and presumably not yet in full bear- 

 ing. Commercial results with them, while interesting, are not 

 necessarily conclusive. Table VII gives a summary of results witu 

 a selection of the most promising varieties at Tempe, giving, in 

 addition to data already stated, average results per tree. 



COLD STORAGE OF DATES 



Some attention has been devoted during the year to the cold 

 storage of fresh dates in order to prolong the marketing season 

 for a perishable product, notice having been directed to the subject 

 by the experience of Messrs. F. W. Butler and Son at the Ferry 

 fruitstands in San Francisco. These gentlemen observed that dates 

 being sold by them from day to day on the San Francisco market 



