The Golden Rule for Flowers 211 



they require help, though trees of both kinds grow in 

 the same plantation. The fact is mentioned by many 

 writers, from Pliny downwards, though without expla- 

 nation ; and in all the plantations part of the work con- 

 sists in climbing the trees, first to collect pollen-bearing 

 blossoms, and next to dust with them the little ovules, 

 which are about as large as peas, and lie exposed in the 

 centre of the other blossoms, not enclosed in an ovary. 

 If this is not done the date crop fails. 



During Napoleon's campaigns in Egypt, the natives 

 not having much leisure to attend to husbandry, the 

 plantations about Cairo were neglected, and although 

 the trees blossomed as usual the eatable dates were few. 



In the East dates are such an important article of 

 food, and the failure of the crop such a serious loss, 

 that nations at war, and desirous of inflicting as much 

 injury as possible upon one another, were in the habit 

 of cutting down, not all the palms indiscriminately, bui 

 those bearing pollen. On one occasion it is said that 

 the Persians, fearing they might be injured in this way 

 during a civil war, took the precaution of collecting the 

 pollen from the trees, kept it in close vessels for nine- 

 teen years, and made successful use of it when peace 

 was restored. 



The Arabs are said always to keep some of the 

 unopened sheaths containing pollen from year to year, 

 in case of any failure in the blossoms. 



It has been mentioned that pollen may often be 

 borne long distances by the wind, and this has been 

 exemplified in a remarkably interesting way by the case 

 of a date-palm growing near Otranto. The palm is not 

 a native of Italy, and though introduced, does not grow 



