VARIETIES OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE. 65 



As to the quality of the Deglet Noor dates produced in the Jerid 

 oases, the buyer for a well-known French importing house, who had 

 operated during several previous years in the Oued Rirh but who 

 last season (1904) made his purchases in the Tunis oases, was of the 

 opinion that the latter region surpasses the Oued Rirh oases in the 

 quality of its Deglet Noor dates. As compared with the fruits of 

 this variety grown in the Oued Souf, a those of the Jerid are larger, 

 softer, and of finer appearance, while the Deglets of the Souf are 

 said to be superior in keeping quality. 



The natives consider a sandy soil as decidedly more favorable to 

 the quality, of the Deglet Noor fruit than one containing much silt 

 or clay. 



Deglet Noor dates begin to ripen in quantity in the Jerid toward 

 the end of October; Masselot gives October 25 as the usual date. 

 The harvest of 1904 commenced about that date and continued 

 throughout November, December, and the first days of January, 1905. 

 The crop is generally purchased on the trees for about two-thirds of 

 the price which the dates bring at wholesale at Marseille, and the 

 buyer undertakes the gathering & and packing of the fruit. In 1904, 

 when the crop was an unusually abundant one both in the Jerid and 

 the Oued Rirh and the price correspondingly low, these dates sold on 

 the trees for about $2.59 per 100 pounds, and brought at Marseille 

 from $3.54 to $3.88. In 1903, when the crop was much smaller, 

 Deglet Noor dates from the Jerid sold at Marseille for from $4.75 to 

 $4.80 per 100 pounds. The season of 1904 was unusually favorable 

 to the quality as well as the yield, less than 0.3 inch of rain having 

 fallen at Tozer during the months of September and October together, 

 and only 0.2 inch during November. 



The Deglet Noor is slower in coming into full bearing than most 

 other varieties, the palms generally not giving a good crop until they 

 are ten years old, while the Fteemy variety begins to yield largely 

 when only four or five years old. The fruit of very young trees is 

 said to be usually inferior in quality. While some varieties bear well 

 every year, a Deglet Noor palm produces largely only every second 

 or third year, and the average crop is smaller than that of many less 

 esteemed kinds. The average yield in the Jerid of Deglet Noor palms 

 in full bearing is stated by one authority to be 132 pounds, while 



See Bui. 86, Bureau of Plant Industry, p. 24. 



6 See p. 52 for an account of the methods of harvesting. 



c In Algeria the average product of this variety is variously estimated to be 

 from 88 to 132 pounds. (See Bui. 53, Bureau of Plant Industry, p. 35.) On 

 account of its relatively low productiveness and its delicacy of constitution, the 

 inhabitants of the Mzab oases are somewhat prejudiced against this variety, 

 notwithstanding the undeniable excellence of its fruit. But, being largely 

 30618 No. 9206 5 



