140 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



so evident. It is the female tree which produces the fruit; 

 but in order to obtain it the orientals, who live upon 

 it, plant male trees also ; and it is no uncommon 

 practice for their enemies, in time of war, to cut down 

 the male trees, which prevents the others from producing 

 dates, and causes famine. The number of female trees 

 cultivated in Asia is much greater than that of the 

 males, the former being more profitable. 



Before the Saracens were driven back to their original 

 habitations on the Arabian and African sands, the envi- 

 rons of Reggio were adorned with stately groves of palm- 

 trees. Many of these trees were felled by the Christians 

 out of a whimsical hatred to the plant, as if it had been 

 an appurtenance of Mahometanism. The infidels them- 

 selves, on their retreat, destroyed all the male-palms, 

 except such as grew within the walls ; thus were des- 

 troyed : 



" Those groups of lovely date-trees bending 



Languidly their leaf-crown'd heads, 

 Like youthful maids, when sleep descending 



Warns them to their silken beds." 



T. Moore. 



The sexual organs of the date-tree grow upon different 

 stalks ; and when they are in flower, the Arabs cut the 

 male branches to impregnate the female blossoms. For 

 this purpose, they make incisions in the trunk of each 

 branch which they wish to produce fruit, and place in 

 it a stalk of male flowers : without this precaution, the 

 date-tree would produce only abortive fruit. In some 

 parts the male branches are only shaken over the female 

 blossoms. 



This practice was known to the ancients, and is ac- 

 curately described by Pliny, who says, " if the male 

 tree be cut down, his wives will afterwards become 

 barren, and bear no more dates, as if they were widows." 



