262 D A T E G R O W I N G 



seedlings have been planted in the United States 

 during the past few years, but up to the present it 

 has been impossible to secure offshoots on a commercial 

 scale because of the state of anarchy and warfare in 

 which Morocco is sunk; a few authentic offshoots have 

 nevertheless been brought to Southern California by 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry and the West India 

 Gardens of Altadena. It will be obvious, however, 

 that the variety has not yet had a test in the United 

 States, and all plantations of it are made merely 

 because of its general merit and commercial reputation. 



The region has never been visited by a date 

 expert, but French military authorities have secured 

 as much information as possible about Majhiil, at 

 the request of Dr. L. Trabut, botanist to the Algerian 

 government, and through his courtesy I was given 

 access to their reports. 



Majhiil, says Lieut. Neigel,* is found in large 

 quantity in all the oases of Tafilalet, particularly in 

 those of Ghorfa and Er Reteb, but is not so abundant 

 as other varieties of inferior quality. The people 

 themselves live on these inferior dates, most of the 

 Majhul being exported. Those from Er Reteb are 

 considered the finest and largest. The variety is 

 propagated only by offshoots, which, transplanted in 

 February or March, bear in from four to six years. 

 They do not demand any more care than other 

 varieties. 



The dates are artificially ripened, as follows; 

 after the dates have turned completely yellow the 

 bunch is cut and they are picked from it, care being 

 taken not to detach the calyx from the fruit, as this 

 would permit the entrance of dirt and insects. They 



*Report dated March 26, 1912. 



