186 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



15000 to 15210— Continued. 



five-ninths as long as the fruit, slender. The foliage is luxuriant, and the 

 numerous leaves are long, wide, and erowded with long, broad leaflets. In 

 color they are decidedly bluish, owing to the presence of a heavy, white bloom. 

 Altho inferior in flavor to the Deglet Noor this is unquestiona1)ly an excel- 

 lent variety, greatly excelling the Deglet Noor in vigor, rapid growth, early 

 productiveness, and large yields. The oblong fruit, when ripe, is of fine red- 

 dish purple color, very rich in flavor, extremely sweet, and so soft and sirupy 

 as to melt in the mouth when fresh. It can not he eaten in great quantity, 

 however, without cloying. It becomes very sticky and is therefore less satis- 

 factory as a dessert fruit than the Deglet Noor. This variety is considered 

 one of the most productive, giving a good crop every year. Is a late ripening 

 variety, its fruit beginning to mature in quantity at the same time as the 

 Deglet Noor, about November 1. It ranks among the four most alkali-resistant 

 varieties. 



15019. Gasby. 



A third-class "soft" variety; fruit 11 to a little over 2 inches long, about two- 

 fifths as wide, oblong, often consi)icuously curved, very dark prune purple, 

 with a conspicuous bloom wlien ripe, the surface dull, the skin rather tough, 

 russet brown where loosened from the flesh; the flesh 1 line thick, dark col- 

 ored, remaining rather soft; the slender seed five-ninths to three-fifths as long 

 as the fruit, two-sevenths to one-third as wide as long, russet brown, often 

 curved. The stalks and branches of the fruit clusters are deep orange colored. 



Ripens very early. A handsome, long, dark-colored, generally curved date. 

 Flavor is of the Lagoo type, rather attractive, suggesting that of raisins. It is 

 said to keep very well. 



15020. Gash Haloo. 



Fruit said to resemble Kenteeshy in color; described as sweeter and better 

 flavored than Gasby. 



15021. Guern-el-lihezal. 



Said to be a long, slender, curved date, with a stone unusually large and a 

 thin flesh. 



15022. Goondij. 



A third-class "soft" variety; fruit about If inches long, about one-half as 

 wide, obovoid-oblong, keeping its shape fairly well when preserved, l)ay to 

 maroon colored when rii>e; the flesh about IJ lin«?s thick, dark colored, 

 remaining rather soft, the seed five-eighths as long as the fruit, about one- 

 third as wide as long. The stalks and branches of the fruit clusters are bright 

 orange colored. Said to ripen as early as Septendjer 15. 



Sweet and agreeable, but not of pronounced flavor; of the Lagoo type. 



15023. Holooa Bayda; also Halouaia. 



A second-class "dry" date; fruit IJ to Ij inches long, about one-half as 

 wide, elli])tical in outline, not conspicut)us]y narrowed at the apex, widest near 

 the middle, dull purplish bay when ripe; the flesh 1 to Ij lines tliick, becoming 

 very firm and dry; the seed about seven-tenths as long as the fruit and one- 

 third to two-fifths as wide as long. The branches of the fruit clusters are pale 

 orange. 



Much like the Lemsy, but the fruit is even smaller. It ripens rather early 

 and is generally eaten fresh, becoming hard and dry when preserved. 



15024. Halouaia. 



15025. Hamra, or TIamraia. 



A third-cla'^s "dry" date; fruit 1} to 2 inches long, about one-half as wide, 

 ovoid, tapering from near the base to the rounded apex, bright ])urplish maroon 

 whenripe; theflesh 1 to3 lines thick, becomingquite firm, the dark-colored outer 

 zone thicker than the white central jiortion ; the seed two-thirds to four-fifths as 

 long as the fruit, generallv about two-fifths as wide as long, sometimes with 

 strongly develojied winglike ridges on the sides. The stalks and branches of 

 the fruit clusters are orange colored. 



One of the largest and most showy of the " dry " dates. :\Iuch resembles Horra 



97 



