VARIETIES OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE. 



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much furrowed. The foliage (PI. IV, fig. 1) is dense, the leaves wide, 



crowded with leaflets, and drooping gracefully at the ends. 



This is a rare variety, apparently confined to Tunis, occurring spar- 



ingly in the Jerid and the Nefzaoua. The fruit, which ripens in 



October, is remarkable for its large size, the thickness of its flesh, and 



its globular shape. The short, very thick 



seed is also characteristic. (Fig. 9.) 

 This date is highly esteemed by the 



natives. The flesh is very firm and even 



somewhat tough, extremely sweet, and very 



rich flavored, the flavor suggesting that 



of the Fteemy. Tronja dates can not be 



eaten in large quantity, as their richness 



soon cloys, but as a dessert fruit they are 



very promising. They ripen in October. 



Of this variety 8 offshoots were imported. 

 Boo FAGOOS (p. 101). The name (in 



French orthography, Bou Fagous, or Feg- 



gouss) signifies " father of the cucum- 



ber." A soft date, If to If inches long, 



considerably more than one-half as wide, 



constricted near the middle and widest toward the apex, maroon to 



prune purple when ripe, the flesh 2J lines thick, the seed from a little 



more than one-half to five-eighths as long as the fruit, rather slender. 



(Fig. 10.) The orange-colored stalks of the fruit clusters are 



sharply curved and so short that the rather small bunches hardly 



extend beyond the leafstalks. The foliage of this, as of several 



other of the finest varieties, is of a light and delicate aspect, due in 



this case to the relatively few leaves 

 and the narrowness of the leaflets. The 

 leaves themselves are large and wide. 

 As in the Deglet Noor, they curve down- 

 ward very noticeably. In color they 

 are an unusually rich green. The spines 

 of the leafstalks are few and weak. 

 The offshoots remain small while at- 

 tached to the parent tree, and the Arabs 

 advise that greater care be taken to keep 

 them moist after removal and before 



FIG. 9. Outlines of Tronja seed 

 and fruit. (Natural size.) 



FIG. 10.- Outlines of Boo Fagoos seed 

 and fruit. ( Natural size. ) 



planting than is necessary with most other varieties. 



The variety is rather common, but nowhere abundant, in the oases 

 of the Jerid, to which it appears to be confined in Tunis, although 

 said to occur also in the Mzab oases of Algeria. It is in high repute 

 among the natives, being exported to all parts of Tunis and Al- 



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