CULTURE OF THE PALM 95 



third, and so on. Even after it reaches maturity it 

 should ordinarily not be allowed to carry more than 

 half of the clusters which it throws out. Of course, if 

 the variety is naturally a shy bearer, and sends forth 

 but a few racemes, it will not be necessary to remove 

 any, but where twenty or twenty-five are put out, as 

 is sometimes the case, ten or twelve are enough to 

 leave. It is hardly necessary to point out that if a 

 palm is carrying offshoots it must carry fewer dates. 

 In the case of a valuable variety, from which it is 

 desired to get as many offshoots as possible, it will 

 often be well to let it bear only one or two bunches of 

 fruit each season; the value of the offshoots will 

 more than compensate for the dates lost. On the 

 other hand, a second-grade tree which there is no 

 reason to perpetuate should be stripped of offshoots 

 altogether; it will then be able to put every ounce of 

 its energy into the production of dates. Unless you 

 have had enough experience to be certain of your 

 success, leave a fairly large number of clusters until 

 after you have pollinated and have had a chance to 

 observe the results; some clusters usually set less 

 dates than others and these can be removed, leaving 

 only first-class clusters on the tree. 



If the number of clusters borne each year is kept 

 to a reasonable limit, and the palm given abundant 

 irrigation, cultivation, and fertilization, no one need 

 fear this intermittent bearing or alternation of years. 

 It has been thoroughly proved in California that 

 good care is the only thing needed to make the palm 

 perform satisfactorily each season. 



As dates are ordinarily grown in a semi-arid 

 climate, there is little trouble from the weather. An 

 unexpected rain in early summer will do little harm; 



