DATES OF EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 29 



"russet" to "Mars brown" (R. XV), with, the base close to "chamois" or "cream 

 buff " (R. XXX). The germ pore is usually placed centrally and the ventral furrow is 

 narrow and shallow. 

 This variety is of value only as it prolongs the season of fresh dates. 



KOSHA. 



This belongs to the dry-date class, and the fruit only was seen, and in the dry condition. 



Fruits 1 J to If inches long, three-fourths to seven-eighths of an inch broad; distinctly 

 compressed, oblique and unsymmetrical, sometimes slightly curved, broadest at 

 about one-third above the base, tapering rather abruptly to an obtuse apex (PL XII). 



The surface, with nearly smooth or slightly wrinkled areas, broken by areas of fine 

 longitudinal folds with cross reticulations. The color is somewhat mottled, the darker 

 portions being "bay" (R. II), with an area around the base of "sorghum brown" 

 (R. XXXIX) and lighter patches of "clay color" (R. XXIX). 



The fine granular flesh is "honey yellow" in the darker parts and "cartridge buff" 

 (R. XXX) within. The flavor is remarkably sweet for a dry date, with the usual 

 wheaty flavor and no trace of astringency. The quality will rank as excellent. 



The seeds are seven-eighths of an inch to 1 inch long, about five-sixteenths of an inch 

 broad, tapering toward the slightly apiculate apex, often with sharp lateral ridges or 

 "wings." The small germ pore is usually about central, the ventral furrow being 

 rather narrow and deep. The color of the seeds is nearest to "wood brown" (R. XI). 



The sample of this fruit was included in a lot obtained at Merowe on the eve of 

 departure from Dongola Province. The whole collection was mailed to Washington 

 and the description of the varieties was not made till after the writer's return. 



This variety is regarded as one of the best dry dates yet sampled, and steps will be 

 taken to secure offshoots of it at a later date. 



KULMA. 1 



The Kulma date is counted as one of the four chief varieties originally received 

 into Dongola from Sukkot country. The leading men of Merowe say that this variety 

 should not be planted near the 

 Nile bank, where its roots will 

 get too much water, but farther 

 inland, where it -will be spar- 

 ingly irrigated. 



The only tree seen 2 had a 

 rather short, heavy trunk and 

 dense, broad spreading top . The 

 leaves are 10 to 12 feet long, with 

 stout ribs carrying their size well 

 out toward 1 he apex, where there F f '--Qutlines of the Kulma date in fresh, ripe condition; 

 x .:. . from 11k; governor's garden, Merowe, iJongola Province, 



W but a Blight flexibility. Ehe Budan . (Natural size.) 

 foliage i- bluish green with 



heavy waxy bloom. The spine area is 18 to 24 inches, the spines heavy, acute, from 

 2 to 7 or 8 inches long, pushing to stiff acute spike pinna; 18 to 20 inches long, one-half 

 to five-eighthfl of an inch broad. At about 36 to 40 inches from the base they pass into 

 the normal pinna;, which are 10 to IS inches long and I! to 1 1 inches broad. They 

 <limini-li in size but little till near the apex, where the pinna; are 10 to 12 inches long 

 and I tolfinche wide. The spinee and spike pinna; are set at divergent and defen- 



1 in Burckbardt' i vocabulary of the " tfouba" language, "kulma" is the transliteration for "big," and 

 the name may be descriptive of the size of this variety. (Burckhardt, J. L. Travels In Nubia. Ed. 2, p. 

 146. London, wri.) 



> Only two oil ho<ii ■/.■•n- (-cured '.i 'mi-, from tho tree in I he Mudirieh Garden at Merowe, 



from which thede cription was made, «vas the gift of Col. H. W. Jackson, governor of Dongola Prw tnce, 



'I ho other w:i tho fill of Ornda Mohammed Ahmed Il.rihini. 



