THE KHALAS DATE, ETC. 37 



cultivation is an important item among the rural occupations of Has.a, its harvest 

 an abundant soimv of wealth, and its exportation, which ivndirs lYmn Mosmil on 

 the northwest to .Bombay on the southeast, nay, I believe to the African coast of 

 Zan/ibar, forms a large branch of the local commerce.^ 



Mr. Fairchild says Europeans and Arabs in that region agree in 

 considering it to be the best date in the world. He further says: 



I do not hesitate to pronounce it second or third only to the Deglet Noor, which it 

 even surpasses in date flavor. I have always thought the Deglet Noor a most deli- 

 cate date, but lacking in that indescribable date flavor which characterizes these 

 Persian and Arabian sorts. The Khalas is a sticky date, but of most unusual flavor.'' 



In his report on the "Persian Gulf Dates" Mr. Fairchild says: 



The skin is a golden brown and of most delicate texture, covering closely the 

 rich golden flesh, which is of exquisite date flavor and with the consistency of 

 a chocolate caramel. c 



OTHER PROMISING DATES. 



Among numerous other sorts secured by the writer from various 

 regions in the Algerian Sahara and now growing in the Cooperative 

 Date Garden at Tempe, Ariz., the following are especially noted for 

 their superior quality, all being considered by some to equal or to be 

 superior to the Deglet Noor in flavor. 



(1) The Teddala, a very large, very early sort from M'Zab in west- 

 ern Algeria (see page 33). 



(2) The Iteema, a midseason date, short and round, with soft flesh, 

 very sweet, said to keep well; in Tunis it is very much esteemed and 

 is considered suitable for export. 



(3) The Bent Keballa, possibly a large form of the Iteema, consid- 

 ered one of the best varieties in M'Zab. 



(4) The Timjooert, also from M'Zab, a medium-sized red date, so 

 full of juice that the fruit drips honey from the tree when ripe; when 

 properly cured keeps well and is of most excellent quality; flesh gran- 

 ular with almost no fibers about the seed; very sweet. 



(5) The Ham ray a, a very large, dark-red date, ripening very late; 

 flesh free from fiber arid of good flavor; in Tunis it is the largest date. 

 known and one of the two heaviest bearers/ the average yield being 

 220 pounds per tree. 



(6) The Mozaty or Mazauty date, from the Pangh Ghur country e in 

 Baluchistan, recently secured by Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild, has 

 been highly extolled. It is said by Fischer, in his monograph of the 



Mr. D. G. Fairchild reports that Khalas is a delicate packer and is nowadays 

 never exported except in form of presents. (See Bui. 54, Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1903, p. 25.) 



& Fairchild, D. G. In letter dated Bassorah, February 22, 1902. 



c Fairchild, D. G. Persian Gulf Dates and Their Introduction into America. Bui. 

 54, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 25. 



^The Areshtee is the other. (See page 26, footnote a.) 



^Some thirteen days' caravan journey from the port of Gwadur, on the Gulf 

 of Oman. 



