THE DATE. 99 



tree is a sort of medium of exchange, and it is in this 

 currency that the bridegroom often pays the price de- 

 manded by her father for the damsel who is to be the 

 light of his tent and the sharer of his lot. In com- 

 paratively small space, too, can such riches be stowed, 

 for a full-grown palm occupies but about 4 ft. of space ; 

 and as they may, therefore, be planted within 8 ft. of 

 each other, a limited area suffices for a large plantation ; 

 and as it is reckoned that each tree affords a sequin profit 

 annually, the owner of 3,000 or 4,000 trees not an un- 

 common number for a wealthy Arab to possess has a 

 profitable estate within a very contracted ring fence. 

 Considering all these things, well may it be that the first 

 question asked by a Bedouin of any passenger he may 

 chance to meet should invariably be " What is the price 

 of dates at Mecca or Medina?" 



Date paste, called adjoue, and consisting of the ripe 

 fruit pressed into large baskets, and forming a sort of 

 cake, is the staple Arab subsistence during the 10 months 

 of the year when fresh dates are out of season. The 

 fruit is also eaten boiled, stewed with butter, simmered 

 to a pulp with honey, in short, Soyerized in so many ways, 

 that it may be fairly said a date in an Arab tent can even 

 rival an egg or a potato in a French restaurant, for she 

 is not reckoned a good housewife who cannot furnish her 

 husband, every day for a month, with a dish of dates 

 differently prepared. The young, tender leaves, too, are 

 eaten with lemon-juice as a salad. The pith of the tree 

 when cut down called the "marrow" of the date though 

 inferior to true sago, forms yet a sweet and nourishing 

 diet ; and the " cabbage " or unexpanded central bud, 

 tastes much like a fresh chestnut ; but as to obtain this 

 luxury the life of the plant must be sacrificed, it is only 

 indulged in occasionally, and taken from trees already 

 condemned to perish for the sake of their sap, for blest 

 by Bacchus as well as by Ceres this tree furnishes drink 

 in addition to food, and beverages too of various kinds 

 and qualities. The date paste, simply infused in water, 

 forms a pleasant and wholesome draught ; incisions, too, 

 are occasionally made in the tree, and a mild and refresh- 



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