161 



B. The seedlings are covered with a light straw mat; the male 

 seedling pushes its vraj through or raises the mat. The females 

 hend sideways heing weaker. In larger plants same answer as 

 No. 1. Of seedlings planted at same time, the male grows far 

 more quickly than the female. 



C The same answer as A. 



3. Is there any way by which 'the young plants can be made 

 females? 



Ansivers : A. If the seedlings are transplanted at two years old 

 the number of females is at least doubled. 



B, Knows of no way. 



C. The roots have tubercles on them. If these tubercles are 

 removed the plant becomes female. 



C. also says that if seed from dates which have been eaten is 

 sown, the seed presumably being scraped by the teeth, more males 

 result; if the date seed is sown uninjured the females predominate. 



4. Have you ever heard of any method of tearing the leaves of 

 the young palms to induce females? 



All three growers say they haA^e heard of no such method. 



From Professor Trabut we received the following letter on the 

 subject: — 



*' La legende de la transformatioii du dattier males en femelles 

 est une legende Arabe, elle est propagee par M. le Comte de FoUney 

 proprietaire a Biskra. Je crois aucune experience confirmative 

 n'a ete faite. 



'^Les Arabes operent sur des semis dont ils ne connaissent pas 

 encore le sexe. Jamais cette pratique n'a ete employee d^une 

 maniere courante. Done des semis il n'ya jamais plus de 50 per 

 cent, de males. Pour mettre an point cette question il faudrait 

 prendre 100 palmiers de semis — fendre les feuilles de tons en voir 

 si de ce fait ils deviennent tons femelles. 



*' Jamais on n'a parte d'operer sur les 'offshoots,' mais seule- 

 ment sur les jeunes * seedlings/ n'ayant pas encore porte d'organes 

 tloraux- L^operation consiste a fendre la feuille suivant le rachis 



qui est fendu par le milieu. 



^^ Pour con^plement d' information vous pouvez ecrire a M. de 

 Follney a Biskra qui vous donnera, avec plaisir une repouse 



detaillee. 



Mes cordiales salutations. 



^'(Signed) L. Thafut. 



5» 



Acting on Professor Trabut's advice a letter was written to the 

 Count de Follney in tlie following terms on February 14tli last., 

 but unfortunately no reply has as yet been received, and the 

 supposed change of sex of date palms can only be regarded as a 

 supposition believed in by the Arabs : — 



'".Koyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 



*' February 14th, 1914. 

 "M.le Comte, 



" J'appreuds par M. le Professeur Trabut a Alger c^ue vous 

 vous interessez au probleme de la transformation du dattier male 



B 



