DATE VARIETIES 237 



soft and syrupy when fresh, granular after it has been 

 kept a year or more; slightly translucent. Seed 

 three-fourths to one inch long, rounded at each end, 

 cinnamon to chestnut in color, ventral channel deep, 

 sometimes closed near middle, germ pore in center. 

 Flavor sweet and very rich. 



When matured in the way usual in California, 

 the fruit is delicious if fresh, but the syrup drips out 

 of it so that in a few weeks it becomes dry and tasteless. 

 The Algerian overcomes this by pressing the fruit 

 tightly in skins as soon as it is picked. In California 

 the fruit is firm and does not drip if it is pollinated 

 by the so-called Canary Island date palm; otherwise 

 it should be carefully ripened artificially. Irrigation 

 should be stopped when the dates begin to soften on 

 the tree. In Arizona it is considered that the best 

 results are secured when the fruit is artificially 

 matured with carbon dioxid. Because of the short 

 stem of its fruit cluster the dates are difficult to 

 pick; the green fruit can be detached more easily 

 than that which is fully ripe. The variety proved 

 rather sensitive to cold last winter. 



Ghazi, Rhazi, R'azI, The Warrior (i.e., a 

 participant in a raiding foray of the nomads), one of 

 the earliest of Algerian varieties, usually eaten when 

 fresh and soft — the rutab stage. The palm is of 

 middle size, and never bears very heavily; in the 

 Ziban the fruit ripens in September. The date is 

 described as of medium size, long in proportion to its 

 breadth, yellowish red when fresh, later turning to 

 a golden brown; normally soft, but if left on the palm 

 it will become almost dry, and in that condition 

 keeps well. Sub- varieties distinguished by the Arabs 



