460 Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



even many of the best, have never before been p\iblished, and to l)ring to 

 California 9,000 offshoots, which arrived in remarkably good condition and 

 are now divided between many growers in the Coachella Valley and elsewhere. 



It is my purpose in this paper to describe the varieties of dates grown 

 in Babylonia, not only for the importance which such descrijjtions will neces- 

 sarily possess for Californians growing the varieties in question, but as a 

 guide for future visitors to that region ; for I believe it is the most promising 

 known, from which to draw a large supply of high-grade offshoots for the 

 United States. 



Altliough the dates of Busreh are better known, and more important 

 commercially, and are now and always have been* considered, even by Arabs, 

 as the best, my opinion — as is that of my brother, F. W. Popenoe, who accom- 

 panied me, and to whom I am indebted for much assistance in preparing 

 descriptions — is that the Baghdad field is incon>parably richer. Commercial- 

 ism at Busreh has tended to restrict planting to the three great export 

 varieties, Halawi, Khadhrawi and Sayir, and none of these can be considered 

 a superfine date, although for a steady diet Khadhrawi is as satisfactory as 

 any grown. Yet TTalawi is more profitable, since its lighter color makes it a 

 favorite in the American market. The price received for this variety by 

 growers in 1912 (when the crop was large) was $2.22 per maund of 153 

 pounds. The prices of Ilabiwi, Khadhrawi and Sayir. respectively, were in 

 that year as 320:200:220. There is, thus, no doubt as to what is the most 

 profitable date at Busreh, the choicest varieties, like 'Awaydi and Barhi, 

 being cultivated to a very limited extent indeed. 



Tn Baghdad the dry date Zahidi is most widely cultivated, and there 

 are no virtues which growers do not a.scribe to it. There are many finer 

 ones, but Zahidi has come to be the choice of the nomad tribes who are the 

 chief consumers of Baghdad dates, and as it is early, hardy, vigorous, and 

 unusually prolific, the growers plant it so largely that many groves contain 

 nothing else. It is usually considered the most profitable there, but some 

 growers put Khustawi ahead of it. because of the higher price it command.s, 

 in spite of its lighter yield; Asharasi, IMaktum and Tabirzal probably come 

 next in order, but the last two are hardly cultivated on a commercial scale 

 and, as a matter of fact, one sees Busreh Khadhrawis sold in the Baghdad 

 bazar more frequently than any of the local varieties. 



The first ripe dates are eaten by the natives in July, but it mu.st be 

 admitted that an Arab will eat dates when they are still so hard and full of 

 tannin that American hogs would hardly touch tliem. Perhaps August first 

 might be taken as the commencement of the date season in an average year, 

 while it is not in full swing until a month or six weeks later. Within a month 

 all of the principal varieties have been picked and sold ; in forty days the 



* Beside.s medieval Arab writers, cf. Marco Polo's description in the latter half of the 

 l.Sth centiir}-, 'There is also on the river (Tigris) as you po from Baudas (Baghdad) to 

 Kisi (Kish) a great city called Bastra (Busreh; classically Basreh), surrounded by woods, 

 in which grow the best dates in the world." — Yule's Ed., I, 60, London, 1871. 



