DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 143 



ing the pollination of the date palm; the next stage after Fig. 1 above; the cluster 

 of female flowers has been entirely removed from the sheath and is being tied 

 together with a palm-leaf fiber to hold the sprig of male flowers in place. Nega- 

 tive by the author. 



PLATE IX. DegletNoor dates from the Sahara Desert. (Natural size.) Photographed 

 at Washington two months after being picked. Above, cut open date and two 

 seeds. Negative by G. N. Collins and the author. 



PLATE X. Deglet Noor dates packed for the retail trade. The small paper box con- 

 tains about two-thirds of a pound; the wooden boxes hold about four and one- 

 half pounds. (One-third natural size.) Negative by G. N. Collins and the 

 author. 



PLATE XI. Date palms growing in basin irrigated by flooding, at Bedrachin, near 

 Cairo, Egypt. The water ranges from a few inches to several feet deep and 

 remains standing about 6 weeks. September, 1902. Negative by Thos. H. 

 Kearney and Thos. H. Means. 



PLATE XII. Fig trees growing under partial shade afforded by date palms in the 

 oasis of Chetma, Algeria; May, 1900. Negative by the author. 



PLATE XIII. Date palms in garden at Biskra, Algeria. Soil samples ( Biskra, Station 

 No. 1) were secured in the foreground. An Arab is climbing the tall palm in 

 order to pollinate the flowers; May, 1900. Negative by the author. 



PLATE XIV. Fig. 1. Date palms growing without artificial irrigation near Fougala, 

 Algeria; at the base of the palm trunks a bank or "goorma" is seen. Fig. 2. 

 Shallow well with sweep "kitara" used to irrigate date palms at Fougala, Algeria. 

 Negatives by the author. 



PLATE XV. Fig. 1. Very alkaline undisturbed Saharan soil at Fougala, Algeria; a 

 scanty growth of salt bushes and samphires is seen in the foreground near where 

 soil sample (Fougala, Station No. 1) was taken; to left, in middle ground, young 

 palms are seen growing in pits. Fig. 2. Date palm in condition called "mez- 

 noon" or crazy, showing youngest leaves dwarfed and distorted; oasis of 

 Fougala, Algeria; May, 1900. Negatives by the author. 



PLATE XVI, Fig. 1. Young date palms growing on very alkaline soil at Chegga, 

 Algeria. A white crust of alkali is shown along the edge of the irrigation ditch. 

 A soil sample (Chegga, Station No. 1) was secured nearby. Fig. 2. Young date 

 palms at Chegga, Algeria. A soil sample (Chegga, Station No. 2) was obtained 

 in the beef of oasis alfalfa seen on the left of the drainage ditch; May, 1900. 

 Negatives by the author. 



PLATE XVII. Fig. 1. Date plantation on alkaline soil at Ourlana, Algeria, in the 

 Oued Rirh region of the Sahara Desert. A drainage ditch is shown and to 

 right ridges to facilitate irrigation by surface flooding. A soil sample (Ourlana, 

 Station No. 2) was secured between the first two trees on the right. Negative by 

 the author. Fig. 2. Crescent-shaped excavation, " dahir," at the base of a date 

 palm, to hold irrigation water, Biskra, Algeria. Offshoots ready to remove are 

 seen at the base of the trunk. Negative by the author. 



PLATE XVIII. Fig. 1. View in the Salton Basin, near Imperial, Cal., looking south- 

 ward, showing level, bare desert land, with almost no trace of vegetation; Signal 

 Mountain, in Mexico, in the distance; January, 1901. Fig. 2. Shore of a dry, 

 salt lake, Chott Merouan, between Chegga and M'rai'er, Algeria, with salt-loving 

 vegetation; in the distance a mirage simulates a vast sheet of water, with remote 

 islands covered with bushes. Negative by the author. 



PLATE XIX. Fig. 1. A neglected Egyptian date palm growing without irrigation in 

 the Salton Basin, near Indio, Cal., November, 1899. Fig. 2. Old date palms 

 showing reflexed, dead leaves growing at Hermosillo, northern Mexico; orange 



