96 DATE VARIETIES AND DATE CULTURE IN TUNIS. 



trusted with the second paragraph are printed in italics, as is the 

 second 2)aragraph itself. The italicized portion, therefore, consti- 

 tutes the key proper. Frequently an alternative set of characters, 

 introduced b}^ the words " or if," will be found in the second para- 

 graph of the pair (as on p. 101). These alternative characters gener- 

 ally refer to the variety described in the first paragraph that imme- 

 diateh^ follows. 



It is believed that by including in the key the complete description 

 of each variety, the identification can be made with more confidence 

 than if onlv the characters necessarv for "' keving out '' the varieties 

 were given. "While the construction of a key of this type presents 

 difficulties that are not encountered in making the ordinary dichoto- 

 mous key, it is believedthat the user, after a little practice, will find it 

 more serviceable. He will have the satisfaction, as it Avere, of touch- 

 ing ground at each step he takes. 



After the name of each variety, at the" end of the paragraph describ- 

 ing it, is given a reference to the page of the text on which will be 

 found outlines of the seed and fruit. 



1. Synopsis of the Groups, 



* Flesh becoiiiiny (luite dry and often linrd, the white e-outral portion thicker 



than tiie darJcer colored, softer outer portion (often twice as 

 thick) :« the fil>rons lininjjc of the central cavity clean and 

 dry. hri.i;ht wiiite: ,i,'iant cells in a more or less sharply 

 defined zone lyinu between the white and the dark flesh, 

 very small, generally not much longer than wide. 



Dry dates. 

 ** Skin heconiin.i; loose over uiudi of the surface of the fruit, forming 

 larui'. smooth, soft, mostly loni:itudinal blisters. 



Smooth-skinned dry dates, p. 07. 

 ** Skin closely adhering to most of the surface of the fruit, forming a 

 network of narrow, hard, transverse as well as longitudinal 

 \vrinkl(>s, with few or no large, soft blisters. 



Wrinkled dry dates.' pp. 07 to 09. 



* Flesh not becoming dry and hard, the white central portion thinner than the 



dark colored, softer outer i)ortion ; the fibrous lining of the 

 central cavity usually more or less soaked and darkened 

 with sirupy .iuice ; zone of giant cells not usually sharply de- 

 fined (or at least not easily distinguishable in color) from 

 the zone outside it, the cells usually variable in size and 

 shape: skin becoming loosened over much of the surface 

 of the fruit when ripe.^ forming large, soft, generally longi- 

 tudinal blisters, but otherwise smooth ; or, if forming also 

 a netw(jrk of narrow transverse wrinkles, these few and 



soft Soft dates. 



** Fruit spherical or nearly so, at least three-fourths as wide as long. 



Round soft dates, p. 99. 



a Exceptions are the varieties Bayjoo (p. 97). Thaby (p. 08) and Hamra 

 (p. 08) in which tlie darker colored outer zone is much thicker than the white 

 inner zone, at least in fruits that have been kept for some time. In other 

 resi>ects these are typical dry dates, having the clean, bright white lining of 

 the central cavity and tl^ 'skin covered with a network of hard, narrow 

 wi'inkles. 



6 The Khalt Moopshem vai-jety (see p. 104) is an exception in having the skin 

 closely adhering, 



92 



