fKOPAGAflON BY SEEDS. 87 



their birth date trees grow from seeds simply thrown away after 

 the fruits were eaten and receiving no special watering or 

 attention whatsoever. All the above instructions are therefore 

 looked upon as so much empty talk and the carrying out of 

 these instructions but an unnecessary expense. The planter will 

 find, however, that if these are not strictly complied with, he 

 must face a correspondingly high death-rate. On the other 

 hand, all our experience indicates that if vigorous plants are 

 planted in good soil at the proper season, and are given fair 

 attention, there is no reason why the death-rate should not be 

 as low in the Punjab as in any date-growing region in the world. 

 These points cannot be too strongly impressed on intending 

 planters. There is a large number of people, who having seen 

 how very much better the fruits grown in the Punjab on the 

 imported trees are, than those on local trees, are asking us for 

 suckers, but a great number of the plants planted by these 

 people will certainly die off and be a loss to the growers if they 

 are not properly treated when planted. 



53. In many cases no manure is given to date palms. 

 In some cases, however, it is given once every 



Manuring and in- 



tercuiture of estab- 2 to 4 years ; in other cases annually, and in a 



lished date palms. 



few cases twice a year. Where manure is not 

 given at any other time it is customary to apply it to 

 off-shoots when they have established themselves in the soil 

 after being planted out. Manure seems to very much increase 

 the vigour and rate of growth of young plants and the fruit- 

 bearing capacity of adult trees (see illustrations Nos. 25 & 25a, 

 pages 78& & 78c and No. 29, page SQa}. The tree in illustration 

 No. 29 stands beside a dung heap and the owner informed me that 

 the tree annually yields several maunds of fresh fruits while 

 several other trees of the same age growing a few yards distant 

 only yield 20 seers each. 



The manure applied to date trees may be any ordinary farm- 

 yard manure. Cow, horse, donkey, camel, fowl, etc., dungs 

 have been used. It should be well rotted, especially here, where 

 it may attract white-ants if it is not properly decayed. The 



