THE DATE 197 



the United States Department of Agriculture, the experiment 

 stations of California and Arizona, and many private growers ; 

 and any history of the progress of scientific date-culture will 

 certainly record the names of such pioneers as Bruce Drum- 

 mond, David Fairchild, R. H. Forbes, George E. Freeman, 

 Bernard Johnston, Fred N. Johnson, Thomas H. Kearney, 

 Silas C. Mason, James H. Northrop, F. O. Popenoe, Paul 

 Popenoe, Walter T. Swingle, and A. E. Vinson. 



As a result of the work not only of the Americans but of 

 French horticulturists in North Africa and English in Egypt 

 and India, the culture of the date palm is to-day perhaps better 

 understood than that of any other fruit of which this volume 

 treats. There is room, however, for immense improvement in 

 method in practically all of the older date-growing regions, and 

 the introduction of more scientific culture will add greatly to 

 the national wealth in many parts of the Orient. 



Such an important date-growing country as Egypt does not 

 now produce enough dates for its own consumption; for al- 

 though it is a moderate exporter it is still more of an importer 

 of low-grade dates from the Persian Gulf. The markets of 

 North America and Europe have scarcely been touched. 

 Before the Great War the annual importation into New York 

 was thirty to forty million pounds, only five or six ounces a 

 head of the country's population. This is a ridiculously low 

 rate of consumption for a fruit possessing the food-value of the 

 date, and which can be produced so cheaply. There would 

 seem to be no reason why it should not become an integral part 

 of the diet of American families, being eaten not as a dessert 

 or luxury only, but as a source of nourishment. So regarded 

 the market is almost unlimited, and considering how few are 

 the areas available for growing first-class dates, over-production 

 seems hardly possible. 



The date palm characteristically consists of a single stem with 

 a cluster of offshoots at the base and a stiff crown of pinnate 



