166 DATEGROWING 



beyond that stage; they are then called "rutab" 

 by the Arabs, and the word is so useful that it may 

 have to be borrowed by the English language.* 

 Others pass through the rutab stage and then cure 

 themselves on the tree into good dates for packing or 

 shipping, while a third class, including many dry 

 dates, is never fit to eat while soft, but gradually 

 dries and sweetens into an eatable fruit. 



The second class is obviously the most profitable, 

 other things being equal. The grower can have 

 the fresh dates on his table, or sell them in that 

 condition if the market is good; otherwise he can let 

 them cure and sell them as cured dates, such as are 

 ordinarily seen on the market. 



The third class is worth growing if the dates 

 themselves are good, for the principal market for 

 dates is certain to be always for cured ones, since 

 fresh ones will not keep or ship so well. The first 

 class, which is good fresh but immediately begins 

 to ferment and rot, is to be avoided (except to provide 

 fruit for home use) unless it is particularly early. 

 In that case — and most of the very early dates are 

 rutab dates pure and simple — the precocity is worth 

 some sacrifice, and as they will come on the market 

 when it is most eager for dates, they will always find a 

 sale. 



One must regard with distrust any arbitrary 

 statements as to the keeping qualities of a variety of 

 date, for it necessarily depends on the grower's treat- 

 ment of the fruit. One man will make a given date 

 keep six months; in the hands of another it will 

 spoil in two weeks after it has been taken from the 



*The word means "moist," originally. It is often seen mis- 

 spelled retob, rattab, etc. 



