DATE VARIETIES 279 



S'aidi, a date grown in Kharjeh, Siwah and 

 other western oases, and averred by its friends to 

 have the finest flavor of any date of Egypt. It 

 is probably of Nile origin, however, S'aid being the 

 time-honored native name for Upper Egypt. Ripens 

 in September. It is the chief variety in the oasis of 

 Kharjeh, whence it is exported in considerable 

 quantities. I believe that only seedlings are to be 

 found in the United States at present, but it is a 

 promising variety for such locations as Coachella 

 Valley. 



Samiani, said to be named after a village, one 

 of the best Egyptian dates, but ripens rather late. 

 Chiefly grown on the coast near Rosetta, in a sandy 

 soil, and without inundation or surface irrigation; 

 exported in fancy packages at remunerative prices. 

 The fruit is described as thick, almost ovoid, tapering 

 at apex; amber yellow in color, spotted or smeared 

 with red. Seed small. Flesh thick but slightly 

 coriaceous. Has not yet fruited in the United 

 States. The variety is sometimes called Rashidi. 



Sarna, Sarni, perhaps originally Sarma, The 

 Unirrigated (lit., a desert without water); a popular 

 dry date of Oman. In Samail I was told that it 

 ripened late in August and was not eaten rutab; in 

 Masqat it was declared to ripen in June and to be 

 eaten principally fresh. Possibly two varieties are 

 united under one name; in each case the color was 

 described as yellow. The date is said to be round 

 in shape; the yield average. Offshoots introduced 

 to California have not yet had time to bear fruit. 



