32 THE DATE PALM. 



Regarding the places mentioned in Tables II, III, and IV, 

 the following points may be noted : 



(i) The very finest dates known in the world can be grown 

 at Tozer and Nefta in the Jerid oases, Tunis ; in 

 Dakhla oasis, Egypt ; and in Baghdad, Mesopo- 

 tamia. Nefta has the lowest temperatures of 

 any of those places, and until we have further 

 information we may take its temperatures as 

 the lowest under which the finest dates may 

 be 'grown, provided that humidity, rainfall, and 

 all other factors in date growing are entirely 

 satisfactory . 



(ii) The fruits produced at' Alexandria would have to be 

 relegated to the lowest class as regards quality. 

 There is some reason to believe that certain 

 varieties of dates can be ripened under even lower 

 temperatures than those of Alexandria, but detailed 

 tables of these temperatures are not to hand, 

 therefore the Alexandria temperatures may be 

 taken here as the criterion for low grade fruits. 

 Where other conditions do not interfere, the places 

 above referred to which have temperatures 

 between those of Nefta and Alexandria produce, 

 as a rule, an intermediate grade of fruits. 



17. The chief point to note about winter temperatures 



is that they are not so low that the trees may be 



winter tempera- killed or harmed by the cold. Where harm is 



tures. * 



done, it is the younger leaves, especially those 

 just issuing from the terminal buds that are affected ; therefore 

 most harm is done if heavy frosts occur after fresh tender young 

 leaves have begun to appear in spring. Small date plants are 

 more susceptible to harm than tall ones, as the terminal buds of 

 the former are nearer the ground than those of the latter, and 

 cold frosty air being heavier than warm air tends to lie lower 

 down. 



