DATE VARIETIES 223 



as the more popular dry dates which form the bulk 

 of Sudan commerce; probably adapted only to the 

 hottest regions of America. 



Bint 'Aisheh (a woman's name), a common date 

 of the Egyptian delta; has not yet fruited in the 

 United States. Large, nearly spherical in form, red 

 when fresh but turns almost black when cured; 

 flesh thick and syrupy, seed small. Usually eaten 

 when fresh, or, if preserved, is put in bags or skins. 

 Late in maturing. 



Birket al Hajji, Hadji, Haggi, The Pilgrim's 

 Pool, name of an oasis near Cairo where the annual 

 caravan to Mecca makes its first stop; also called 

 Birkawi, from the same root, and Hayani, the name 

 of a village ( ?) ; one of the best and earliest Egyptian 

 dates and of great value in the United States. No 

 variety has given such good results in Arizona, and 

 it may be expected to do even better in California. 



Outside the oasis from which it takes its name, 

 and which has in all ages been famous for the quality 

 of its dates, this variety is grown commercially in the 

 province of Galiubia, principally in clayey soil, and 

 particularly around the town of Marg*. It is generally 

 considered the earliest of the commercial varieties in 

 Egypt, ripening in July. In Arizona it ripens about 

 October 1, but should do much better than this in 

 favored localities in California. 



The palm is one of the most ornamental ever 

 introduced to the United States, with soft and grace- 

 ful leaves and few spines. It proved notably hardy 



The only place in Palestine where dates are now grown com- 

 mercially is Gaza (Ghazzeh), and it is this variety which is there 

 grown, particularly at the famous Monastery of Dates. 



