PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION, 



THIS note was originally written as a circular letter to meet 

 the large number of questions which were showered on me in 

 connection with the scheme of date improvement started some 

 years ago in the Punjab. It was therefore only intended for 

 my staff and a few people who were so kindly assisting the 

 Agricultural Department in carrying out the work in connection 

 with the date scheme. It has now been considerably extended 

 and the circulation has become much wider : I therefore wish 

 to say that in addition to drawing on my own knowledge gained 

 in Egypt and in India I have, when writing this pamphlet, made 

 free use of W. T. Swingle's Bulletin No. 53, Department of 

 Agriculture of the United States of America, Dr. Bonavia's book 

 ' The Date Palm in India," and other works. I have also to 

 thank Mr. Gaskin, Assistant for Commerce and Trade, Baghdad, 

 and other friends, for their kindness in giving me information. 

 My most grateful thanks are due to Agha Yusaf Ali Khan, my 

 Teaching and Research Assistant, and to other members of my 

 staff, for assistance in the collection of materials from the date 

 plantations laid down by the Agricultural Department in the 

 Punjab, from the experiments which have been carried on, 

 and from the various pieces of information which have been picked 

 up during tours and at demonstrations on date culture. 

 Mr. W. H. H. Young, Lyallpur, of the North-Western Railway, 

 has very kindly made figs. A, B, C, and D of illustrations 

 Nos. 17 and 18, pages 12c and I2d for me. 



March, 1913. D. MILNE, 



Economic Botanist, Punjab, Lyallpur. 



