DATE 



points in New Mexioo, Arizona anti California. Those 

 planted on the Experiment Station farm at Pheenix 

 have made a much better growth and bloomed more 

 freely than the plants sent elsewhere, some of the speci- 

 ~ , in the fall of 1H98, measuring more 



than 20 feet to the topmost leaf and 

 producins; 100 to 200 pounds of 

 fruit to till- tree. A sufficient num- 

 ber (if the imported palms have 

 blossomed to indicate that they 

 are not true to name, more than 

 one-half of those blossoming to 

 date being staminate, while those 

 that have fruited are inferior to a 

 number of the choicer seedlings 

 grown in Arizona. It yet remains 

 for another importation to be made, 

 when greater care may be taken 

 that the imported plants are suck- 

 ers from trees of recognized merit 

 and approved varieties. 



An examination of specimens of 

 fruit from many of the seedling 

 Dates grown in tin- riiii. d States, 



Mexico, during tin ■ ^in-^.n cif l.-iliS, 

 and also an ex;uiiiii;tiii'n nf the 



679. 



fruit of 

 Experim 



the 



nsicle 



eedline Date. 



in the size, flavor, shape, color, and 

 general desirability of the differ- 

 ent specimens. Only about 50 per cent of the trees ex- 

 amined bore edible Dates, the remainder being astrin- 

 gent even when fully ripe, and little more than a skin 

 over a pit. Of the remaining 50 per cent only about 

 one-fifth were especially desirable and worthy of per- 

 petuating by growing suckers. It must be remembered 

 in this connection that Dates, like most other fruits, do 

 not come true to seed ; hence, it is not reasonable to ex- 

 pect a very large percentage of desirable Dates as a re- 

 sult of growing seedlings. Some of the best seedling 

 Dates grown in Arizona in 1898 were light in color and 

 varied in weight from two-sevenths to one-fourth ounce 

 to the specimen, with from 10 to 11 parts in weight of 

 flesh (mesocarp) to one part of pit. The largest of the 

 imported Dates; viz.. the variety labelled "Seewah," pro- 

 duced Dates averaging nearly one-third ounce to the 

 is tiie largest Date yet pro- 



ited States, 

 -.■, th. ic being but 8 parts of 

 ■tli<!-njore, the flesh is covered 

 ■pl. anil there is a firm papery 

 • the pit. An excessive develop- 



specimeu. Althoutrl 



duced in Arizcjiia. a 



the pit is ixtirm.ly 



flesh to nnr ..f pit. 



with a thiek skin i .■ 



covering (endocarp) 



ment of either epicarp or endocarp is undesirable. 



Choice varieties of Dates should have thin skins and 



small seeds surrounded by a thin, papery covering. The 



flesh should be thick, of medium firmness, swr^et, and of 



agreeable flavor. The Date industry in the Tniteil 



States is in its infancy. Approved vari<Ti.s lia\ <■ ni-t a-- 



yet been introduced and the quantity .>f Iriut i.r.Mlu.iil 



has not reached suiScient magnitude to give it a <.oni- 



mercial rating. 



The Date palm grows upon nearly all kinds of soil. If 

 it be sufllciently irrigated and has the requisite amount 

 of heat, the soil seems to be a secondary consideration. 

 In general it may be said, however, that lean, sandy soils 

 of the desert, "with a small percentage of clay and 

 charged with alkaline salts, are preferable to rich and 

 heavy soils, suitable for growing ordinary crops. The 

 question of water is of great importance in the culture 

 of Dates, as it is necessary that the roots of the Date 

 palm be in moist earth throughout the year. In general, 

 the atnount of water required for successful culture is 

 considerable. If sufdcient water cannot be supplied by 

 natural methods, we must resort to irrigation. Water 

 should be supplied at frequent intervals throughout the 

 year. However, the most should be supplied in the 

 spring before blooming, and in the fall prior to the 

 ripening of the fruit. The amount of water for each 

 palm depends so much upon soil and local conditions 

 that an estimate would be worthless. Care should be 

 taken not to irrigate to excess at the time of blooming 



DATE 459 



and immediatelv after, as it will militate against the 

 successful setting of the fruit. The Date seems not only 

 to enjoy a high atmospheric temperature, but a high 

 temperature of the water supplied in irrigation as well. 



in order to prevent scalding. Care should be taken, dur- 

 ing the warmer portion of the year, that the Date pahn 

 is not subjected to hot water about the roots, rising 

 above the soil for a considerable length of time, and 

 later left until the soil becomes exceedingly dry and 

 baked by the sun. Such extremes may sometimes seri- 

 ously injure or destroy the tree. 



Dates are propagated either by seeds or suckers. As 

 with the apple and most other fruits. Dates do not come 

 true to seed, hence the only sure way to obtain good 

 Dates is to secure a sucker from a tree of established 

 excellence. Propagation from seed is of ' little value 

 when we desire to obtain Dates of the same quality as 

 those from which the seeds were obtained, or when we 

 wish a correct proportion of male to female trees. 

 Again, seedling palms are usually very much later in ma- 

 turing their fruit, and generally the fruit from such 

 trees have large seeds and little flesh. It is always 

 preferable to propagate Dates from suckers unless one 

 desires to originate new varieties, not only on account 

 of the knowledge of the sex ( it being hardly necessary 

 to state that the sex of a sucker is the same as that of 

 the plant from which it is taken) but on account of the 

 ability to make a election m the variety and quality of 

 the fruit 



rl n^in.. t th -nil Phoenix are diffi 

 lilt \ nil lilt Mil 1 Frequently as 



I 11 t ti I ] ! I t I Dates die even 

 1 uh 1 1 1 111 1 It I are In plant 



All 



high 



mg utk I Will til 

 best of ittenti u 

 large percentage di 

 while withc ut t are n t 

 one m a hundred will 

 grow It 1 due nft 

 much to the lack of e\ 

 perience in removing 

 the uckers as to li k 

 of proper care att i 

 removal that so lir„ 

 a percentage fail t 

 grow Suckers may 1 

 removed at any tim 

 during the spring i 

 early summer or even 

 in the winter if propei 

 care be given them 

 after leimval If thev 

 are to be planted in the 

 open e:i mnd it i advi 

 able t lemo-se them 

 duim., th prmg or 

 eaih iiiumer April 

 pri 1 il I\ 1 ingthebe t 

 nil iitl In winter when 



the 



at 



stand till the sucker 

 may be remo^ ed with 

 comparatively small 

 loss if the bulbs be 

 not les than 4 mche 

 in diameter and have 

 a fe^ roots It is nee 

 essarv when suckers 

 are removed at this sea 

 son to et them m 

 rather small pots so 

 that the earth, which 

 should be given a daily 

 soaking, may have a 

 chance to get warm 

 quickly. The pots 

 should be kept in a greenhouse, or, better yet, imbedded 

 in a hotbed of manure, covered with the customary 

 frame and glass. In all cases the leaves should be 

 cut back to 6 to 12 inches in length. If proper atten- 

 tion can be given it is best to plant the suckers where 



