THE DATE 213 



American growers will find an advantage in fairly early varieties 

 (other considerations agreeing), as the crop can thus be disposed 

 of without competition, say before November 1, at about 

 which time dates from Persian Gulf or North African sources 

 can be put on the market, possibly at lower prices. 



PICKING AND PACKING 



The picking process offers no particular problems, although 

 the methods are not the same with all varieties. Usually two 

 persons can pick together conveniently, one holding the basket 

 and the other gathering the dates and placing them in it. 

 Under favorable conditions, some varieties will mature a whole 

 bunch so evenly that it can be removed entire without loss, 

 but in many cases it is necessary to pick out the different 

 "threads" carrying dates, and cut them separately, leaving 

 those whose fruit is not yet mature for another day. It is 

 advisable, with kinds that permit of it, to leave the calyx on 

 the fruit, since if this is pulled off it opens an avenue for the 

 entrance of insects and dirt. Bunches left to ripen on the 

 tree frequently need to be protected by a bag of cheese-cloth or 

 similar material, to keep off birds and insects. 



Dates grown for home use need no treatment after picking 

 unless it be a washing to remove the dust. If they are to be 

 kept for some time, they may well be pasteurized to free them 

 of insect eggs and the bacteria of fermentation and decay. 

 Small quantities of fruit can be treated successfully in the oven 

 of a cookstove, pains being taken by regulating; the aperture 

 of the door, to keep the temperature between 180 and 190 

 for three hours. This may slightly alter the taste ; sterilization 

 by exposure overnight to the fumes of carbon bisulfide is easy 

 and causes no change of flavor. 



There are many advantages in ripening dates artificially 

 rather than leaving them to mature on the tree; hence some 



