686 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



In the Punjab mats and fans are made of the leaves ; they are 

 called Butra or Pattra in Muzaffargarh, and Khushab in Shahpur. 

 The leaf stalks make excellent light walking-sticks, split up they 

 furnish material for crates and baskets ; the fibrous network, which 

 forms the sheathing base of the petiole, is called Kabal or Khajur- 

 ka-bokla in Muzaffargarh, pack-saddles for oxen are made of it, and 

 the fibre separated is made into ropes. 



The sap is obtained by cutting off the head of the palm and scoop- 

 ing out a hollow in the top of the stem, where, in ascending, it lodges 

 itself. Three or four quarts of sap may be obtained dairy from a 

 single palm, for ten days or a fortnight, after which the quantity les- 

 sens, until, at the end of six weeks or two months, the stem is 

 exhausted, becomes dry, and is used for firewood. This liquor is 

 sweetish when first collected and may be drunk as a mild beverage, 

 but fermentation soon takes place, and a spirit is produced, which 

 is distilled, and forms one of the kinds of Arrack, or spirit of eas- 

 tern countries. Such being the importance and multiplied uses of 

 the Date Palm, it is not surprising that in an arid and barren country 

 it should form so prominent a subject of allusion and description in 

 the works of Arab authors, and that it should be said to have 300 

 names in their language. Many of these are however applied to 

 different parts of the plant, as well as to these at different ages. 

 The Mahomedans are very proud of the Date Palm, and sa3^ that 

 it refuses to grow well in any country which is not consecrated to 

 Islam. There are many varieties, all exactly alike in appearance, 

 but differing in the fruit. In Baghdad alone there are 40 or 50 

 well-known kinds of dates, some of them bearing romantic names, 

 such as " lady's fingers," and '" pretty maiden's eyes." In the 

 Basra district there are even more varieties, as well as a vastly 

 greater number of trees. The palms between Fao at the mouth of 

 the river and Gurna and at the junction of the Tigris and 

 Euphrates are numbered in millions, and each brings in an average 

 income of Rs. 3 or 4 a year. 



" The exports of Indian dates are not as yet important ; they 

 have averaged about 130 cwt., valued at Rs. 1,215, during the 

 four years ending 1904-5, but in 1905-6 were only 34 cwt., valued 

 at Rs. 364, and in 1906-7, 14 cwt., valued at Rs. 254. The 



