90 DATE VARIETIES AND DATE CULTURE IN TUNIS. 



Occurs in the Jerid, but is not common. Said to he much liked by 

 the natives when not perfectly ripe, l)ut to the writer the flavor 

 seemed inferior. Ripens at the end of October. Does not keep. 

 Number of offshoots imported, 6. 



VARIETIES IMPORTED BUT NOT INCLI'DED IN THE KEY. 



Deglet Barca. — Occurs in the Jerid. l)ut is not common. Fruit 

 not seen by the writer, but said to be round, of the same color as 

 Tozer Zaid Safra (p. 85) (very dark l)rown, almost black). l>ut 

 different in flavor. It is described as a R'tob (soft date) that pre- 

 serves very well. Xumber of offshoots imported, 7. 



Deglet Caid. — Rare in the Jerid, and said to occur also in the Oued 

 Rirh. Fruit not seen by the writer, but said to be coral red before 

 maturity and black when ripe, and to be conservable only for a short 

 time. Reported to be a fine variety, and to ripen early in September. 

 Number of offshoots imported, 2. 



Deglet Sennayga. — Occurs in the Jerid ; not common. A soft 

 date. Fruit about 1^ inches Ions:, nearly one-half as wide, oblong, 

 somewhat pointed at the apex, bright chestnut brown when ripe, sur- 

 face shiny: skin much loosened and folded; flesh soft, dark colored; 

 seed large, dark brown. Said to ripen early in October. Veiy sweet, 

 flavor distinctive (suggesting burnt sugar) and rather agreeable, but 

 not very pronounced. It is said to keep well. The offshoots remain 

 small as long as they are attached to the parent tree. Number of 

 offshoots imported, 9. 



Gasb Haloo. — (Name spelled phoneticalh', as pronounced by the 

 natives.) Occurs at Xefta. Is probably the same as the " Gsub (or 

 Ksob) Halou " found in the Ziban and Oued Rirh oases of Algeria. 

 Fruit not seen by the writer. Said to resemble Kenteeshy (p. 84) 

 in color; described as sweeter and better flavored than Gasb}' (p. 87). 

 Number of offshoots imported, 3. 



Guern-el-Rhezal. — (Gazelle's Horn.) One of the principal vari- 

 eties in the Gabes region and on the island of Jerba, occurring also 

 at Biskra and in the Oued Rirh. Algeria, liut rare in the Jerid. 

 Fruit not seen by the writer. It is described by M. Minangoin as 

 long, slender, and curved. The amins at Gabes say it is not a very 

 good date, the stone being large and the flesh thin. " It has more 

 bones than flesh," as they express it. This is said, however, to be 

 one of the three A'arieties chiefly preserved at ]\Iettoui, near Gabes, 

 requiring first to be dried. Number of offshoots imported, 4, 



Khadraya. — Name signifies " green." Occurs in the Jerid, but 

 apparently is not common. A variety of the same name, but perhaps 

 not identical, is found in Algeria. Belongs to the dry date class. 



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