IX EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 235 



many as 4 cwt. of dates have been harvested in one season from a 

 single date palm. Many varities of Dates exist, differing in shape, 

 size, and colour of the fruit ; those of Gomera are large and contain 

 no seed. The unexpanded flower bunches can be used for palm 

 cabbage, the fibre of the leaf stalks for cordage. The town Elche, 

 in Spain, is surrrounded by a planted forest of about 80,000 date 

 palms, and the sale of leaves for decorative purposes produces, 

 irrespective of the value of the date fruits, a considerable income 

 to the town ; and so it is at Alicante. As far north as the Gulf of 

 Genoa exists also a date forest. The ease with which this palm 

 grows from seeds affords facility in adapted climes to imitate these 

 examples, and we certainly ought to follow them in all parts of 

 Australia, and in similar climes. The best dates are grown in oases, 

 where fresh water gushes from the ground in abundance and 

 spreads over light soil of the desert with its burning wind. The 

 Zadie variety produces the heaviest crop, averaging 300 Ibs. to the 

 tree ; superior varieties can only be continued from offshoots of the 

 root ; these will commence to bear in five years and be in full 

 bearing in ten years ; one male tree is considered sufficient for half 

 a hundred females. The pollen-dust is sparingly applied by arti- 

 ficial means. The date palm will live in saltish soil, and the water 

 for its irrigation may be slightly brackish. (Surgeon- Major Colvill.) 

 Northern limit of date about 35 north latitude. 



Phoenix Hanceana, Drude. 



South China. This palm was buried for ten days under three feet 

 of snow in the south of France without injury (Naudin). 



Phoenix paludosa, Roxburgh. 



India. A stout species, not very tall. Of value at least for 

 decorative culture. 



Phoenix pusilla, Gaertner. 



India and South China. A dwarf species, which bears the clime 

 of the South of France without protection (Kerehove de Denter- 

 ghem). P. farinif era (Roxb.) appears to be identical. It is adapted 

 for sandy and otherwise dry and barren land, but prefers the 

 vicinity of the sea. Berry shining black, with a sweet mealy pulp. 



Phoenix reclinata, Jacquin. 



South Africa, in the eastern districts. A hardy species, but not 

 tall, often reclining. It is adapted for ornamentation. The sweet 

 coating of the fruit is edible (Backhouse). 



Phoenix silvestris, Roxburgh. 



India, almost on any soil or in any situation. It has proved at 

 Melbourne a very hardy species. Its greatest height is 40 feet. 



