3<D Gardening in Egypt. 



few days the leaves will commence to turn yellow. 

 This can never be rectified, the injured leaves will 

 continue to lose their green colour, and must be cut 

 off, and the plant stood in a half-shady position until 

 the new foliage appears. 



Constant attention should be paid to the watering of 

 palms in pots for the verandah or the house, and if 

 possible a few plants should always be kept in reserve 

 in order to permit a weekly changing, and thus 

 preventing those in use from becoming drawn and 

 sickly. For this purpose a light wooden framework, 

 slightly shaded with date palm leaves, will be found 

 very useful in protecting the plants, whose leaves have 

 become tender by standing in the house, from being 

 scorched by the sun. 



Specimen palms on lawns will be greatly benefited 

 during the summer months by occasional supplies of 

 weak manure and soot-water, which should never be 

 given to any plant, particularly those in pots, when 

 the soil is very dry, for if this is done burning of 

 the roots will be the consequence. 



The following list will be found to contain many 

 of the species worthy of cultivation in the gardens 

 here : 



Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Nakle. - - The 

 Date Palm is one of the few trees indigenous to the 

 country, though the best quality of fruit is said to be 

 the " Lady's-finger date " of Tunis. The long black 

 date, the typical type of the genus known as 

 Hayameh, is one of the most popular. 



Professor Sickenburger, a well-known authority, 

 once said that there are twenty-seven varieties of Date 

 Palms, different in size, shape, and colour, and each 

 peculiar to the locality in which they grow. These 

 are divided into two classes those suitable for pre- 

 serves, and those which from their fermenting proper- 

 ties must be eaten at once. The palms which are 

 of either sex (dioecious) are usually propagated by 

 offshoots which grow at the foot of the parent palm. 



