PLANTS. 349 



ers bloom in catkins ; bears berries or fruit about the 

 size of a ben's egg, contain when perfectly ripe a brown- 

 ish-yellow pulp, which adheres closely to the seed ; used, 

 partly eaten as fruit, and mixed with water as a refresh- 

 ing drink. The natives prepare a kind of hemp from 

 the leaves, which, although very strong and tough if 

 kept dry, decays soon when wet. Its true home is 

 South America, where it is found in swampy places 

 only. TJ. 



The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera), plate 27, fig. 1. 

 Trunk knobbed and rough ; leaves pinnate ; leaflets small 

 and lanceolate ; fruit red or brownish, about the size of a 

 plum, egg-shaped, somewhat recurved. The trees are of 

 different sexes, being both male and female. Native of 

 southern Asia and northern Africa, the date palm has 

 thence been transplanted into Arabia and Persia. Great 

 care is expended on the culture of this tree, because the 

 livelihood of the cultivator depends as much upon their 

 annual harvest as does the European farmer upon the 

 measure of his crop of grain. Only a few of the male 

 trees are kept on the plantation ; the pollen-bearing 

 branches are, however, cut off and preserved for a whole 

 year without injury to their fructifying properties. The 

 date season or harvest is a regular festival time ; all flock 

 to ossist in gathering the ripe fruit ; the song, the dance 

 and merry sports lend an enlivening influence, and driv- 

 ing away care, all are merry. Some of the fruit is eaten 

 green (not dried) ; in this case it is carefully separated 

 from the riper, which, dried and sent abroad, is known 

 and welcome everywhere. In our country dates are con- 

 sidered a luxury, and recommended to invalids as both 

 nutritive and refreshing. In Arabia they are used as 

 common food both for man and beasts, h. 



