VARIETIES OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE. 79 



of the oasis. Of this variety 18 offshoots were imported, all from the 

 Jerid. 



OKHT FTEEMY (p. 102). The French orthography is Oukht Ftimi. 

 The name means " sister of Fteemy," this variety greatly re- 

 sembling Fteemy in its trunk and foliage characters, as well as in its 

 fruits. Fruit 2 to 2J inches long, about two-fifths as wide, oblong, 

 straight, somewhat pointed at the apex, deep purplish maroon when 

 ripe, the surface shining; the flesh 2J to 3 lines thick, soft; the seed 

 slender, about one-half as long as the fruit, less than one-third as 

 wide as long, dark brown. (Fig. 25.) The stalks and branches of 

 the fruit clusters are rich orange. 



The numerous leaves are long and /^ N 



broad, crowded with long leaflets. * 



The many fruit clusters are short- 

 stalked and almost hidden by the 

 foliage. 



This variety appears to be con- 

 fined to the Jerid, being especially 



abundant at Nefta, where it is pre- FlG - 25.-Outlines of Okht Fteemy seed and 

 ,, , ., fruit. (Natural size.) 



lerred to rteemy, while at lozer 



the latter is better liked. The very handsome fruit is longer and 

 more slender than that of Fteemy (p. 68), and is often brighter col- 

 ored, but is otherwise very similar. In regard to flavor, the writer 



could detect no difference. Al- 

 though verjf soft and sirupy, the 

 fruits preserve well, Okht Fteemy 

 being enumerated by one authority 

 among the seven best-keeping sorts. 

 The fruits are said to be the kind 

 most in demand by the nomads 

 from other parts of North Africa 

 who obtain their supply of dates 

 FIG. ^.-outlines of Bhars seed and fruit. i n the Jerid, and who exchange 



(Natural size.) ' , i \ p 



4 measures (about 2| pecks) or 

 wheat for 9 measures (about 5^ pecks) of dates of this variety. 



Okht Fteemy palms give a good crop every year and are very pro- 

 ductive, this being among the six best-yielding varieties in the Jerid, 

 according to M. Minangoin. A tree at Nefta, by no means excep- 

 tionally productive, which had 15 well-furnished clusters of fruit, 

 was estimated by the tenant of the garden in which it grew to bear 

 at least 220 pounds of fruit. These dates are not generally ripe be- 

 fore November. The amins of Nefta place this among the four most 

 alkali-resistant varieties of the oasis. Offshoots to the number of 21 

 were imported. 



92 



