GEOGRAPHY OF THE JERID. 11 



worked out, which it is believed will be found useful in identifying 

 the Tunisian varieties. As nothing of the kind has heretofore been 

 attempted so far as the date palm is concerned, it is hoped that, be- 

 sides fulfilling its immediate object, this key will afford suggestions 

 as to the characters that are most serviceable in distinguishing the 

 varieties and will serve as a basis for future studies. 



To supplement the descriptions contained in the key, each of the 

 varieties imported is discussed under the headings " Varieties of 

 primary importance," " Varieties of secondary importance," " Va- 

 rieties of minor importance," and " Varieties imported but not in- 

 cluded in the key," with respect to the quality of the fruit, time of 

 ripening, productiveness, trunk and foliage characters, resistance to 

 alkali, etc. 



As an introduction to the study of the varieties, the important 

 geographical and climatic features of the region are treated, 'together 

 with the character of the water supply and the cultural methods 

 in use. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGION. 

 GEOGRAPHY. 



The principal oases of southern Tunis, in which the date palm 

 is the chief culture, form four distinct groups, the Jerid, the Nef- 

 zaoua, Gabes, and Gafsa, each group being separated from the others 

 by wide expanses of desert. (See fig. 1.) Each group differs in 

 many important features from the others, having its special peculiar- 

 ities of climate, soil, and water supply, as well as its characteristic 

 varieties of dates. 



The Jerid is for us by far the most important group of oases, for 

 there are found in perfection some of the finest varieties of the date 

 palm in the world. It is the only part of Tunis in which the choice 

 Deglet Noor dates are produced in large quantity for European mar- 

 kets, exporting annually from one and one-half to two and one-half 

 million pounds of them. This report, therefore, deals chiefly with 

 the Jerid oases. A brief account of each of the other groups is given 

 in the present chapter, but the discussions of climate, water supply, 

 soils, and culture of the date palm apply almost solely to the Jerid. 

 When reference is made to some other region, it is especially des- 

 ignated. 



THE JERID. 



The name " Jerid " (French spelling, Djerid) is an abbreviation 

 of " Beled-el-Jerid " the " cities of date palms." The group con- 

 sists of four oases Nefta, Tozer, El Oudiane, and El Hamma sep- 



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