THE DATE PALM. ] 451 



leaves of the sucker are trimmed back, and the inner 

 ones are tied up together to protect the heart leaves. 

 Planting requires some care to ensure success. A hole 

 is made about 40 to 50 c.m. deep, and about 10 c.m. of 

 clean sandy soil, free from manure, is laid at the bottom 

 and pressed down firmly, the sucker is placed in a 

 straight position, and the hole filled in with the same 

 sandy soil, which is pressed down firmly around the 

 sucker Many suckers owing to their mode of attach- 

 ment to the mother-plant are curved, and in that case 

 the base is planted straight and the curved end is directed 

 towards the south, so that the sun may have full play 

 on that sicb and cause the tree to grow straight. As 

 soon as the sucker is planted a trough is made around it 

 and watered, watering being continued at first twice a 

 week, and afterwards once a week. The sucker should 

 be shaded off from the sun in the first summer, and this 

 may be done easily by fixing a few palm leaves along 

 with other foliage to form a cone or pyramid around the 

 sucker. Should the suckers be poorly provided with 

 roots, or if they have no roots at all, it is prudent to tie 

 up the inner leaves and to protect them by rolling them 

 up into a piece of sackcloth, which is bound up rather 

 tightly, but without undue pressure. This sackcloth 

 should be removed after three or four months in order 

 not to strangle the new foliage which by that time will 

 begin to develop. 



Palm trees are planted about 5 metres apart, but in 

 a mixed plantation with other fruit trees the distance 

 should be greater. 



CULTIVATION. The date palm thrives fairly well in 

 a dry soil, without any irrigation, but then its growth is 

 very slow and has always a poor appearance. In deep 

 soils and when properly watered, the tree grows quickly 

 and has a beautiful dull bluish green foliage, and pro- 

 duces large bunches year after year, which even if they 



