442 Twenty-e;ighth Annual Report 



THE DATE ORCHARDS 



The date crops of 1915 and 1916 were especially interesting 

 because the conditions governing them ranged from the best to 

 the worst within our experience. The crop of 1915 was not only 

 very heavy, some 5100 blooms at the Tempe orchard having been 

 pollinated that year ; but the nearly rainless fall season was perfect 

 for ripening purposes. The yield of all varieties ripening at Tempe 

 was therefore heavy, and there was almost no loss due to souring 

 or to the fungus spot disease. 



In 1916, however, the crop was light, only 2173 blooms having 

 been pollinated, and the heavy rain of September 8, with subse- 

 quent humid weather, having resulted in very large losses by sour- 

 ing and fermentation of partly ripe dates. The fungus spot disease, 

 to which the Deglet Noor is especially liable, also caused large 



« losses this year.- 



As in previous years, artificial ripening processes were em- 

 ployed both for late varieties and to save the fruit which would 

 otherwise spoil in wet weather. These processes consist, first, in 

 some cases, in subjecting the sufficiently matm-e fruit to an atmos- 

 phere of carbon dioxide gas for 18 to 24 hours ; and, second, in all 

 cases, in subjecting the dates to certain degrees of heat for varying 

 lengths of time. Conditions of humidity under which heating takes 

 place have also much to do with the quality of the product. Each 

 variety of dates seems to require a certain combination of condi- 

 tions to ripen well and must therefore be individually studied. 

 Deglet Noor, for instance, is first exposed under slight pressure lo 

 carbon dioxide, is then heated on trays in a ripening chamber 

 J t 45 to 49 degrees C. for 48 to 60 hours. All varieties are now pas- 



• teurized before packing in order to destroy eggs, larvae, and insects 

 that may be present. This is done by heating at 65 degrees C. for 

 two to four hours, according to size of dates. 



Much experience has been gained also in packing and market- 

 ing the crop, most of which has been sold for immediate use as 

 fresh fruit. Most varieties were packed in one-pound baskets and 

 shipped in five or fifteen-basket crates, lined with unbleached mus- 

 lin to exclude insects. Thus prepared for market the crop has ])eon 

 shipped successfully all over the United States and to Canada, and 

 even as far as Denmark. One shipment was sent to San Francisco, 

 thence to Honolulu, and back to San Francisco, before being deliv- 

 ered to the addressee. Nevertheless, it has been recommended that 



