32 THE DATE PALM. 



lished, it was doubtful whether the best late-ripening sorts of dates 

 could succeed in any of the arid regions of the Southwest which had 

 then been irrigated, and consequently particular attention was given 

 to early-maturing sorts, sure to ripen fully in most parts of Arizona 

 and California. Many early sorts have been secured by the writer 

 from the Sahara, among them the Amaree, Tedmama, Areshtee, Hal- 

 looa, Teddala, Timjooert, .Rhars, Tennessin, and Bent Keballa, and 

 Mr. D. G. Fairchild has recently secured the Hayani, the earliest sort 

 grown in lower Egypt. Several medium or early sorts already exist 

 in California and Arizona among others the Seewah, imported from 

 Egypt by the Department of Agriculture some thirteen years ago, and 

 a number of seedlings which have originated in this country, such as 

 the very early Wolf skill (see fig. 3), the moderately early Lount No. 

 6, and the Bennet date (see fig. 4), which latter has a remarkably low 

 proportion (1 to 11) of pit to flesh. With so many early 

 and medium sorts to choose from, it is probable that 

 some can be found capable of ripening all along the 

 northern range of date culture in Texas, New Mexico, 

 and Arizona, and throughout the interior valley region 

 of California. 



The Rhars, in particular, is a promising variety for 

 cooler climates, as the fruit ripens very early and is of 

 good quality, while the plant is very vigorous and easily 

 propagated by offshoots. Its principal drawback is that 

 'date,' from Phoe- the fruits are sticky, being so full of sirupy juice that 

 nix, Ariz. j. ney are (Jif cu it to cure, and must usually be packed 



closely in skins or boxes for shipment. It is not improbable, how- 

 ever, that a good system of curing and packing would get rid of this 

 sirup and leave the dates in a condition like that of the oriental dates 

 commonly sold in America. 



A large number of the offshoots of the Rhars variety was obtained 

 in 1900, part being sent to California and part to Arizona. 



The Rhars offshoots planted at Tempe in July, 1900, have made a 

 remarkable showing; nearly 10 per cent of the plants (17 out of 176) 

 flowered and bore a small crop of fruit only two years after being set 

 out. ''The Rhars proved to be an exceedingly sweet, tender-skinned 

 date, maturing in September and October, and can probably be grown 

 in cooler localities than Salt River Valley." 05 Professor Forbes writes 

 that, u judging from preliminary experience, the Rhars seems to be a 

 good commercial date, being very sweet, and drying in ten days to 

 two weeks time to a firmness permitting of packing and shipping. 



Forbes, R, H, Thirteenth Annual Report, Arizona Experiment Station, 1902, 

 p. 243, 



