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The trees are planted in regular rows, each tree being about 

 12 ft. from its neighbour. If so planted and left for 7 years be- 

 fore being touched, good healthy trees may be expected. Those 

 who cultivate dates, keep the land, specially in the cold season, 

 perfectly bare of any vegetation, ploughing up the turf, so 

 that the whole strength of the ground may expend itself in the 

 trees. Of course, there are people who cultivate other crops 

 upon the land where the date trees grow, and there are very 

 many who have not patience enough to wait for the expira- 

 tion of full seven years; such people, however, lose in the end 

 by their trees failing to give the same richness in juice that 

 is obtained from trees more carefully tended. When the tree 

 is ripe, the process of tapping begins, and it is continued each 

 year thereafter. There are in the date-palm two series, or 

 stories as it were, of leaves ; the crown-leaves, which rise 

 straight out from the top of the trunk, being so to speak, a 

 continuation of it ; and the lateral leaves, which spring out 

 of the side of the top part of the trunk. When the rainy sea* 

 son has completely passed, and there is no more fear of rain, 

 the cultivator cuts off the lateral leaves for one-half of the cir- 

 cumference, and thus leaves bare a surface measuring about 

 ten or twelve inches each way. This surface is at first a bril- 

 liant white, but becomes by exposure quite brown, and puts on 

 the appearance of,coarse matting. The surface thus laid bare 

 is not the woody fibre of the tree, but is a bark formed of 

 many thin layers, and it is these layers which thus change 

 their colour and texture. 



557. " After the tree has remained for a few days thus 

 exposed, the tapping is performed by making a cut into this 



manured at the end of each season and the ground ploughed up before and after 

 the rainy season until they are fairly well grown up. Each palm before it 

 enters into its full adult stage throws up about 15 to 20 offshoots which may be 

 detached and transplanted. One per cent, of male trees for fecundating purposes 

 would be quite enough. But male and female trees should be grown indiscrimtf 

 nately where obtaining of juice is the only object, 



