70 THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 



ground but cannot break its strong stipe, composed of 

 interlaced fibres, nor tear it from the soil to which it 

 clings by a thousand roots that strike deep and defy 

 the tempest. It has well been said that a single tree 

 has peopled the desert, and upon it alone is based a 

 civilization, rudimentary compared to our own, but far 

 advanced beyond the merely natural state. Its fruits 

 are in demand throughout the whole world, suffice to 

 procure all necessary imposts, and not only make the 

 Arabs independent but affluent." In the 360 oases 

 which belong to France, each date-tree is taxed from 

 20 to 60 centimes, according to the oasis, and their cul- 

 tivation pays, for the mean produce of each tree is val- 

 ued at about three francs. 



We learn also from Martins that in order to obtain 

 the milk of the date the Arabs of Tougourt employ the 

 following means : They take off the crown of leaves, 

 sparing only the lower ones. The section has the form 

 of a cone, and into this a reed is then inserted, through 

 which the liquid runs out into a vessel, which in its 

 turn is emptied into another suspended from the leaves 

 of the tree. The palm does not always die after the 

 mutilation, the terminal bud grows out again, and the 

 tree gradually recovers and nourishes again. The 

 process however cannot be repeated oftener than three 

 times. 



The tufts of palm-trees form a kind of vast parasol, 

 under which the air can circulate ; but the sun is unable 

 to pierce the dense canopy of leaves. Shade, air and 

 water are the three elements which permit the culti- 



