378 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



The ill success of these old trees in the direction of fruit bear- 

 ing probably long prevented further attention to the date as a 

 profitable growth. Still there were date palms grown from seed 

 of the commercial date planted here and there for ornament or 

 out of curiosity, and in due course of time the fruit appeared. 

 The first public exhibition of California dates known to 

 the writer was made at the Mechanic's Institute Fair, 

 in San Francisco, in September, 1877. The fruit was grown on 

 the south bank of Putah Creek, the northern boundary of Solano 

 County, the situation being slightly above the level of the plain 

 of the Sacramento Valley, which lies east of it. The plants were 

 grown by the late J. R. Wolfskill, from seed of commercial dates 

 purchased in San Francisco, and planted in 1858 or 1859. The 

 seed germinated readily, and the young plants were set out in 

 a row about one hundred feet south of Putah Creek, on a rich, 

 fine, sandy loam, lying about twenty-five feet above the bed of 

 the creek. The plants received good cultivation but no irriga- 

 tion. This treatment was continued after the property passed 

 into the hands of the late S. C. Wolfskill, the plants being allowed 

 to remain in the row as originally planted, and they have attained 

 great size, considering their crowded condition. They are approx- 

 imately six feet apart, have trunks about two feet in diameter, 

 and are twenty-five feet or more in height. 



Another bearing date palm stands about a mile eastward of 

 the situation just described, near the residence of the late J. R. 

 Wolfskill. It was grown from seed of the date of commerce, which 

 was planted in 1863, and the tree bore its first fruit in 1880. Near 

 it stands a taller date palm, which bears staminate bloom. This 

 latter tree was originally one of the row previously described, 

 and was successfully moved to its present situation after attaining 

 considerable size. 



The fruit of the two bearing palms differs notably in appear- 

 ance. That of the first-mentioned tree is of bright yellow color 

 and angular outline ; that of the second tree is wine red, with 

 smooth surface. 



During recent years the date has fruited at many places in 

 California and Arizona. There is little doubt that it will succeed 

 in any of the interior regions which have a sufficiently high sum- 

 mer temperature, and even the so-called Colorado Desert may be 

 dotted with groves of date palms, as portions of it now are with 

 groves of the majestic fan palm of California. 



Soils and Waters for the Date. Until recently the date 

 palm has only been planted on good orchard land, but, accord- 

 ing to experience in date-growing countries, the tree does not 

 require rich soil, but on the contrary, will thrive in a soil poor in 

 humus too poor and too purely mineral for any other fruit tree ; 



