84 DATE VARIETIES AND DATE CULTURE IN TUNIS. 



color, but is decidedly inferior to it in flavor. Ripens in the latter 

 part of October and the beginning of November. Is not much 

 esteemed by the natives. Said to keep well, having been enumerated 

 at Kebili among the seven best preserving sorts. Number of off- 

 shoots imported, 4, all from the Jerid. 



KENTEESHY (p. 99). Also spelled Kentichi. Is known in Al- 

 geria as M'Kentichi Degla. Fruit about 1J inches long, slightly 

 more than one-half as wide, oblong or slightly inversely egg-shaped, 

 dull bay when ripe, the skin remaining yellow; the flesh, 1 to 2J 

 lines thick, becoming hard and dry; the seed about two-thirds as 

 long as the fruit, one-third to two-fifths as wide as long, broad and 

 rounded at both ends. (Fig. 35.) The stalks and branches of the 

 fruit clusters are dull orange. The palm is strong and vigorous, 

 with coarse, heavy foliage, long leaves and numerous but rather 



distant long and broad leaflets. The 



stalks of the fruit clusters are curved, 



FIG. 84.-Outlines of Hamra seed and FlG . 35.-Outlines of Kenteeshy 



fruit. (Natural size.) seedand fruit. (Natural size.) 



forming nearly a semicircle, but do not hang down below the foliage. 

 Fairly common in the Jerid and much esteemed by the natives, who 

 are reluctant to part with offshoots, notwithstanding the fact that the 

 fruit is small, thin of flesh, and becomes hard and dry almost before it 

 has lost its astringency. It ripens toward the end of October and 

 beginning of November. It is moderately sweet and rather tasteless. 

 It yields heavily, being one of the most productive varieties found in 

 Tunis, and is said to give a good crop every year. It is reputed to be 

 very alkali resistant, but to require plenty of water. Kenteeshy is 

 said to thrive in poor soils where other varieties will not grow and to 

 be often planted as a wind-break. Number of offshoots imported, 

 11, all from the Jerid. 



SOFT DATES. 



TANTABOOSHT (p. 99). French orthography, Tantaboucht. Fruit 

 nearly spherical, usually somewhat wider than long, 1 to H inches in 

 greatest diameter, usually widest above the middle, slightly depressed 



92 



