FRUIT CULTURE 181 



from 1 Ib. to as much as 2 Ib. Propagated by grafting or seed, 

 which should be selected and. sown as fresh as possible. 



Phoenix dactylifera (Palmae). Date Palm. A sub-tropical, 

 dioecious palm, attaining a height of 60 to 80 ft. or more, with 

 stiff feathery leaves, extensively cultivated for its fruit (the dates 

 of commerce) in Northern Africa, North- Western Asia, and the 

 Mediterranean region. All parts of the palm are used for different 

 domestic purposes, as in the case of the coconut-palm in the torrid 



AVOCADO PEAR. Pcrscn gratissiina. 



zone. Dates are a standard article of food with the inhabitants 

 of the countries above named, being also used as food for animals. 

 Here the cultivation of the fruit forms a large and important 

 industry, it being dried or preserved and largely exported. The 

 chief requirements of the Date-palm are : great heat for a certain 

 period of the year, a dry atmosphere, and a sandy soil. In the 

 region where it is indigenous or cultivated, the temperature in 

 summer sometimes reaches 100 Fah., whilst in winter it goes 



