STZE AND VALUE OF DATE GARDENS. 41 



AVlion WO consider the ^roat predoininaiico of calcium sul})hatc 

 and the absence of easily soluble carbonates ('' black alkali ") in the 

 soils of Tozer oasis, it is apparent tliat the type of '* alkali "' occur- 

 ring there is a relatively hannless one. In view of the relatively 

 small percentages of readily soluble salts, as indicated by the elec- 

 trical resistances of the soils of well-kept gardens, and taking into 

 account the thorough drainage system of the oasis, the " alkali " 

 problem can not be regarded as a very serious one in this region. 



CULTURE OF THE DATE PALM. 



As the gardens of the Jerid only were investigated in any detail, 

 the following notes relate principally to that region, although most 

 of the observations are doubtless ecjually applicable to the other oases 

 of southern Tunis. Cultural methods could not be given the thor- 

 ough investigation the subject warrants, the writer's time having been 

 mainly taken up in studying the characters of the ditl'erent varieties 

 and in getting together the collection of offshoots for shijiment to 

 the United States. Yet it is thought that some of the infornuition 

 obtained will otler useful suggestions to future date growers in this 

 country. The following discussion is based partly upon notes obli- 

 gingly furnished by M. Minangoin, inspector of agriculture at 

 Tunis, and upon the i)ublished paper of M. Masselot," and partly 

 upon data obtained by observation and by (piestioning the inhabit- 

 ants. , In regard to the latter source of information, it should be 

 said that wdiile the cultural methods used by the Arabs appear to have 

 generally a common-sense foundation, the reasons which they give 

 for their practices are often extremely childish. As a rule, they fol- 

 low slavishly the precepts that have been handed down to them by 

 wiser ancestors, without concerning themselves about why they do 

 this or that. Yet, occasionally one meets an intelligent native .who 

 can give a rational explanation of most of his proceedings. 



SIZE AND VALUE OF THE GARDENS. 



The size of the date gardens varies greatl3^ The largest in the 

 Jerid is said to be that of Dobech, at Nefta, in which there are 2,800 

 palms. The wa-iter was told that the annual revenue from this garden 

 is from $4,500 to $5,000. At Tozer the largest garden, that known 

 as " Mahaleb," is said to yield the owner $3,400 a year. The garden 

 of Tishta, at Nefta, is remarkable for the large number of varieties 

 it contains. It was formerly the property of a caid, whose hobby 

 it was to collect as many ditl'erent sorts as possible. Practically all 



a Les Dattiers des Oasis du Djerid. Bui. Dir. Agr. et Com.. Tunis, 1901, pp. 

 114-161. 

 92 



