GEOGRAPHY OF GABES. 19 



South of Kebili there is a region of sand dunes, and here the palms, 

 according to M. Minangoin, inspector of agriculture, are grown in 

 sunken gardens, similar to those of the Oued Souf region,* but on a 

 smaller scale. In the oasis of Douz, about 16 miles south of Kebili, 

 this form of date culture reaches its highest development in Tunis. 

 There basins among the dunes are excavated to a depth of about 13 

 feet and often 100 to 130 feet square (the sand being carried out in 

 baskets) in order to plant a dozen or so palms and a few other fruit 

 trees. The palms grown with such an enormous expenditure of labor 

 almost always belong to inferior varieties. During several months 

 of each year most of the population of this oasis migrates in search 

 of pasturage for its flocks. Upon the return of the inhabitants 

 they must immediately set to work to clear out the sand that has 

 invaded their gardens, a task that requires nearly as much labor as 

 the original excavation. 



GABES. 



In extreme southern Tunis the Sahara Desert practically reaches 

 the seashore, forming the region known as the "Aarad." One of the 

 largest and most flourishing groups of oases in the country is that 

 which has for its center the seaport town of Gabes. These oases are 

 well supplied with water, those nearest Gabes chiefly by means of a 

 series of little dams in the Oued Gabes (Gabes River) and its branches, 

 the more distant ones from springs and wells. The large oasis of 

 El Hamma of the same name as one in the Jerid region is famous 

 for its hot springs. This oasis has an area of about 4,000 acres, and 

 the combined area of those nearer Gabes is said to be about the same. 



About 400,000 date palms are estimated to exist in the oases of 

 Gabes and El Hamma together. At Gabes the humidity, due to 

 the proximity of the sea, prevents the successful growing of the finer 

 varieties, notably the Deglet Noor. While the date palm itself 

 thrives admirably in the Gabes region, and a great number of varie- 

 ties exist there, the fruit produced is far inferior in flavor and sweet- 

 ness to that of the Jerid and the Nefzaoua. Moreover, it is said not 

 to keep well and easily to become moldy. The same criticism applies 

 to the dates grown on the neighboring island of Jerba, where also 

 there are about 400,000 palms. b But at El Hamma, although only 

 l^l miles inland, the quality of the dates is appreciably better. 



See Bui. 86, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1905. 



& It is interesting to know that some kinds of dates can be ripened on the 

 seacoast, even considerably farther north than Gabes. M. Minangoin, inspector 

 of agriculture at Tunis, in a letter to the writer, describes a small oasis of 4,000 

 to 5,000 palms, situated on a sand spit near Susa (Sousse), about 120 miles 

 north of Gabes. Two kinds of dates are grown, of one of which the fruits must 

 be eaten the day they are gathered, while the other kind can be kept for only 

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