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Pomona College Journal op Economic lioTANY. 



twenty bunches in a season. Off-shoots are produced between the ages of 

 three and fifteen years, after which no more appear. Durinf? tliis period, 

 one pahn will produce ten or twelve off-shoots, sometimes more. The im- 

 porter's price for off-sluKits is $8 apiece; those f^rown locally cannot be 

 had for that. 



Palm Springs can ])oast of a few young date palms that have come 

 into bearing, but ha.s nothing on a conunercial scale, nor any palms of 

 great age. 



At Indio is located cne of the government e.xperimental stations, where 

 date culture is being forwarded. On an adjacent ranch are four Deglet 

 Noor trees that produced 300 pounds la.st year that sold for $1 per pound 

 on the average. Twelve imported trees on the same ranch will produce 

 this season, at the age of seven years, about 750 pounds of fruit, as they 

 are now laden with 75 bunches of dates. An offer of $25 apiece for off- 

 shoots from these Deglet Noor trees was refused, as the owner wished to set 

 more plants, and considered them worth that much to himself. 



At ^leeca is the largest experimental date garden in the valley. These 

 trees are growing on soil containing three-tenths of one per cent alkali and 

 have been fertilized regularly each year, with one yard of manure to a 

 tree; and have received frequent and abundant irrigation, with prompt 

 cultivation after each watering. The trees have been sprayed for scale. 

 All of the old palms are heavily laden with fruit and are in splendid condi- 

 tion. 



Situated a few miles southwest of Mecca is an orchard containing 5,000 

 date palms. Of these between 300 and 400 are of bearing age, running 

 from three to five years. The crop on them is estimated at 2.000 pounds, 

 and should average 75c a pound. From one three-year-old Deglet Noor 

 tree the owner took 90 pounds of fruit. When four years old, this tree 

 produced no fruit. This season, at the age of five, the crop is estimated 

 at 250 pounds, of which 150 pounds are engaged at $1.50 a pound. In 

 addition, the palm has already produced three off-shoots. This grower 

 expects to net from $300 to $600 an acre from his dates when they have 

 become ten years of age. These trees are growing in soil that contains from 

 one to six-tenths per cent of alkali, and .some salt. They are fertilized with 

 manure once a year, and trees producing fruit are fertilized with potash, phos- 

 phates, and cotton seed. . Several other ranches in this vicinity have trees 

 producing excellent fruit. 



The Imperial Valley is sprinkled with date plantings and has sev- 

 eral experimental farms where dates are grown. The trees thrive and fruit 

 here very readily, as the date is well adapted to such climatic conditions 

 as exist here. 



One of the Arizona experimental farms is situated at Yuma, where 

 seven-year-old dates may be seen in full bearing. These trees have never 

 been fertilized. Cultivated crops have been grown between the rows, through 



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