THE DATE 205 



"The rooted offshoot when ready for transplanting should be pruned 

 from three to five days before removing from the frame. The new 

 growth should be cut back to one-half the original height, leaving 

 from three to five leaf stubs to support the expanded crown of leaves. 

 The holes in the field should be 3 ft. in diameter and 3 ft. deep, 

 with from 12 to 16 in. of stable manure placed in the bottom of 

 each, with 6 in. of soil on top, then irrigate thoroughly. The rooted 

 palm when removed from the nursery should carry a ball of earth 

 large enough to protect the small fibrous roots from exposure to the 

 sun or dry winds. The average depth for planting should be 16 in., 

 but this may be varied somewhat with the size of the shoot. In 

 any case, the depth should be as great as can be without danger of 

 covering the bud. 



"It is not advisable to transplant rooted offshoots later than June. 

 April and May are considered the best months of the entire year for 

 the transplanting of either young or old date palms. 



"In southern California, where the dry winds occur from March to 

 June, the transplanted palms should be irrigated thoroughly every 

 week ; in sandy soil two irrigations a week should be given until new 

 strong growth is established." 



Arabs usually follow the basin method of irrigation, and it has 

 been satisfactory in many other parts of the world. The most 

 skillful American growers who irrigate in basins make them 15 

 feet square and a foot deep, filling them with a loose mulch of 

 straw or stable manure. 



Most American growers, however, prefer to irrigate in furrows, 

 and use no mulch. The function of the mulch in reducing 

 evaporation is covered by giving a thorough cultivation with a 

 surface cultivator or spring-toothed harrow as soon as the ground 

 has dried out enough to be workable. This involves cultivation 

 of the ground every week or two. 



Adequate fertilization of the soil is absolutely necessary in 

 order to make date palms produce fruit as heavily as commercial 

 growers desire and at the same time yield well in offshoots. 

 Nitrogen-gathering cover-crops are much in favor, sesbania 

 or alfalfa being preferred in California. The long roots of the 

 latter are useful to break up any hardpan or layer of hard silt 

 which may be present. Many growers plant garden-truck 



