284 DATEGROWING 



wrinkled and folded, and often separating from the 

 flesh, which is soft and tender, one-quarter inch 

 thick, translucent orange brown in color; fibrous 

 lining of seed cavity almost wanting. Seed broadly 

 oblong, rounded at both ends, five-eighths to three- 

 quarters inch long, five-sixteenths inch broad, smooth, 

 light grayish brown in color, ventral channel narrow. 

 Flavor distinctive, mild and pleasant, sweet but not 

 cloying. 



Tadala, Tedalla, a large soft date from the 

 Mzab oases of Algeria, where natives state that it 

 sometimes reaches a length of three inches. In 

 California and Arizona it attains a length of two 

 and one-fourth inches. In color it is a dull amber, 

 and its appearance is pleasing; the flesh is fairly 

 firm but the skin excessively tender, so that even 

 with the greatest care it can hardly be prevented 

 from breaking when the fruit is taken from the palm. 

 The season is early October, and the date is of the 

 rutab class, that is, its fruit is good only when fresh. 

 After being picked, it soon dries and shrivels, losing 

 all flavor; it cannot, therefore, be considered a good 

 commercial date, and should not be planted except 

 in limited quantity for home use. 



The palm is vigorous and is considered a heavy 

 bearer; its leaves droop in a way which allows it to be 

 distinguished among others without great difficulty. 

 Considerable confusion exists among the palms of 

 this name in the United States; three of the four 

 palms at Mecca, California, appear to be seedlings, 

 while at Tempe, Arizona, one of the palms listed as 

 Timjiihart is evidently Tadala. The variety is not 

 desirable in Arizona, any more than in California, 



