JSO DATE PALM. 



itable industr^• and perseverance, the intelligence and 

 patience of these young scholars. One of these is 

 Walter T. Swingle, wlio has since been successful in 

 overcoming the obstacles which had hitherto prevented 

 the satisfactor\ development of the Sm^•rna Fig in the 

 Ignited States, and who lias also made it possible to 

 ensure permanent results with the Date Palm, These 

 results \vdve been obtained onh' b\' the most careful 

 stud}' of the conditions of life of these plants in their 

 former habitat. Soil, climate, method of cultivation and 

 means of pollination were all the subjects of entjuirv 

 and brought valuable scientific lacts to light. The best 

 scions of the Date Palm were obtained from the Sahara, 

 and as the vState of Arizona presented the necessar\' 

 climatic conditions the results were successful. Yery 

 soon then American dates will enter into competition 

 \\'ith those of the old world, as American lemons, 

 oranges, grapes, and all kinds ol stone Iruit liave 

 alread^' done. The Date Palm succeeds so well in 

 Arizona that it begins to bear fruit in lifteen years. 

 Ma\' the capital of this State indeed pro^'e worthy of 

 her name "'Phoenix'' ! 



CHAPTER III, 



Those who are accustomed to obser\'e the plants 

 surrounding them will not tail to notice the Arisanuii 

 z'ulgare (Fig. p. 41), an Arum which is very common 

 ill Mentone and all along the Ri\iera in the outskirts of 

 gardens and on any ground that has once been cultivatecL 

 The curious dark brown inllorescencgs rise irom among 



