MONOCOTYLEDONS 275 
The date-palm finds its most congenial home in 
Arabia, but is also extensively cultivated in northern Africa 
(Fig. 273). It becomes a very large tree, thriving in a 
hot, dry climate and sandy soil; and this makes it in- 
valuable in semitropical desert regions. The enormous 
yield of a single tree is indicated by the fact that it is long- 
lived and that it may yield 300 to 500 pounds of dates 
in a single season. Great interest attaches to the fact 
that the date-palm promises to become commercially im- 
portant in certain regions of California and Arizona that 
seem otherwise to be hopeless from an agricultural point of 
Tic. 272.—Cocenut-palms in a Filipino village.-—Photograph by Rircute. 
view, since it thrives in any amount of heat and drought, 
and can endure more alkali in the soil than any other 
profitable plant. This is the palm of the Bible and of 
ancient writings in general. Its habit is shown in 
Fig. 271. 
