PHOENIX 



DACTYL.IFBRA 



Cultivation 



THE DATE PALM 



Manure. 



Bud. 



Watering. 



Seasons. 



Maturity. 



with similar intervals between the rows. Holes 3 feet deep and 

 broad are made. Half of the excavated earth is mixed with its own 

 volume of farm-yard manure, with 4 to 5 Ib. of oil-cake, and filled in, the 

 offshoot being set in the centre of the hole. Care should be taken not to 

 cover the central bud and young leaves with earth. These should be 

 retained a few inches above the level of the ground, and a circular 

 trench, a foot in width, dug round for irrigation. Transplanted shoots 

 should be watered every day the first month, twice a week the second 

 month, and then every month for a year. For the first year, also, they 

 should be protected from November to March by wrapping them in 

 straw or matting. 



Watering. After planting out the offshoot, its chief requirements are 

 irrigation and pollination. No general rule can be given with regard to 

 the amount of water required. This depends on local conditions ; and 

 further, the palm needs more water during certain seasons of the year than 

 others. Generally, at the time of flowering (February-March) little or 

 no water should be given ; from May till the fruit ripens (September), 

 water should be given liberally. 



Maturity. The age at which palms commence to flower varies with 

 the character of climate and soil, and the amount of water given. Eight 

 years from the date of sowing may be stated as the age at which appreciable 

 quantities of fruit begin to be produced. The male inflorescence consists 

 of a stout stalk with a large number of slender branches to which the 

 flowers are attached, the whole enclosed in a sheath, which is at first closed 

 but later splits open. The inflorescence is cut from the tree generally 

 immediately before but sometimes after the splitting of the sheath. One 

 or two of the slender branches bear sufficient pollen for a whole female 

 inflorescence ; and as a male inflorescence bears over 100 branches, one 

 suffices to pollinate 50 or 100 female inflorescences, according as one or 

 two branches are used for each. The female inflorescences are also borne 

 within sheaths, at first closed, later open. When they open, one or two 

 branches of the male inflorescence are inserted among its branches. About 

 Fruiting Season, three months after pollination, two of the three fruits produced by each 

 fertilised flower fall off, leaving only one to ripen. At this time also (the 

 beginning of June) some of the clusters of fruit should be removed from 

 the tree to increase the supply of food to the remainder. About 10 to 12 

 clusters are usually allowed to remain. The period of ripening varies 

 from June to October, according to variety and locality. 



USES. The tree yields a GUM (kukm chil), used MEDICINALLY in the Panjab. 

 In that province, mats, fans, baskets and ropes are made from the leaves, known 

 as bhutrd, pattra, khushab. Woodrow (Notes on Journ. from Poona to Nagotna, 

 in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind., i., 94) states that a species of Phoenix (identified as 

 p. roimntu, Hook., /.) grows on the Western Ghats, Poona, known locally as shcelu, 

 and is the source of the so-called date-matting made in the district. The petioles 

 (chhari) make excellent light walking-sticks, and split up they furnish material 

 for crates and baskets. The fibrous network which forms the sheathing base 

 of the petioles, called kabdl, khajurkabokla or khajurmunj, is used for pack-saddles 

 for oxen, and the fibre separated from it for cordage. In the Panjab the bunch 

 of fruit stalks, buhdrd, is made into brooms. 



From the fresh spathes (called tara) is obtained by distillation tora-water, a 

 strong but agreeable perfume, which is highly valued by Arabs and Persians but 

 does not seem to be prepared in India. The date forms a large part of the food- 

 supply of the countries where it grows plentifully. Even in the Panjab and Sind 

 it is largely utilised. In Multan the hard and unripe date is called gandord ; 

 when it turns yellow, dokd ; when one side becomes soft, dang ; when quite ripe, 



884 



Pollination. 



Uses. 

 Medicinal Gum. 



Mats. 



Walking-sticks. 



2'oni-perfume. 



Food-supply. 



