Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 475 



brown; ventral channel open but shallow, germ pore slightly nearer apex. 

 Flavor rather strong, but nutty, somewhat similar to that of a good dry date. 



Sin Mufta, a variety mentioned by Colvill,* which I could not identify. 



ShuwaytM, "The Little Bees' Date" (?), a Busreh soft date resembling 

 Khadhrawi but a little smaller. Ripens in October; not good when fresh but 

 fairly good when cured ; keeps eight or nine months. Scarce and a shy bearer. 



Tabashir, "Calcareous," probably from its chalky color, a variety of 

 which I could get no more than the name. Doubtless a dry date. 



Ukht Badra, "Badra's Sister," a name which indicates the similarity of 

 this dry date of Baghdad to the distinct and commoner Badrahi. A rare 

 variety, but sometimes found in the bazar. 



Form oblong, slightly wider toward apical end, flattened at base and 

 rounded to broadly pointed at apex. Size medium large to large, one and 

 one-fourth to one and five-eighths inches long, seven-eighths to one inch wide. 

 Surface dry, hard, smooth or somewhat undulating, dull yellowish brown in 

 color, sometimes brownish yellow. Skin thin, dry, rather tender, occasionally 

 slightly wrinkled or creased. Flesh three-eighths inch thick, light yellow 

 near skin, changing to silvery white near seed; solid and meaty, but neither 

 mealy nor brittle; dry, slightly fibrous around seed. Seed broadly oblong, 

 rounded at base and apex, seven-eighths inch long, three-eighths wide, smooth, 

 gray brown, ventral channel deep, germ pore slightly nearer apex. Flavor 

 sweet and nutty. 



Vsta'amran, "The Date of 'Amr the Expert" ( 'Amr is a common man's 

 name). A synonym for Sayir, q. v. 



TJmm Ajraheh, "Mother of Quantity" (the ajrabeh is a grain measure 

 containing 768 pounds) or "Mother of the Mange". If taken in this last 

 sense, the name probably means that the palms of this variety are particularly 

 affected by the Parlatoria scale, which is colloquially known as "date-palm 

 mange". A rare Baghdad soft date, much similar to Khustawi in appear- 

 ance, but a little smaller. Ripens in midseason. Noted as a heavy bearer, as 

 the first signification of its name would indicate. 



Umm al Sawdni, "Queen of the Table" or, more literally, "Mother of 

 Platters". The name is colloquially pronounced Umuswani. A small, short, 

 fat date known at Baghdad, but confined to a few gardens. It is eaten only in 

 the fresh or rutab stage, when its color is a brownish yellow. 



'Uyun Ayuh. The latter word is the name, in Arabic form,t of the 

 Biblical Job, the former has some fifty meanings in addition to its primary 

 one of "eyes," As Job's Eyes seems senseless, I suggest (without any definite 

 warrant from Arab sources) the translation "coins" which is etymologically 



• In Jour. Linn. Soc. London, vol. XIV, p. 505. 



+ The translators of the King James version of the Bible blindly copied Martin Luther 

 in transliterating proper names, without stopping to think that the diflference between 

 German and English was wholly misleading in such cases as this. Job and Jacob would 

 pass in German, where they correctly give the oriental pronunciation; but in English, with 

 a different value for j, the translators should certainly have written Yob, Yacob, etc. 



