70 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



lence of the dates of Siikkot and says that the merchants of Merowe brought commodi- 

 ties in exchange for them, their ovm. country- ha\ing but few dates and those of bad 

 qualit\-. Dongola Pro\-ince is now the great date-producing region, and the people 

 are alive to the value of the offshoots and are planting ever\* one they can get. offering 

 none for sale. The great source of supply is the Sukkot country-, already mentioned, 

 ■where the industry has declined from the going out of the young men and on account 

 of the difl&culties of transportation. The three imponant varieties recognized in both 

 districts are Baratatci. Gondeila. and Bentamoda." 



36818. ' Bentamoda. No. 1. The find which is wonh the whole journey 

 is the Bentamoda. a Sukkot variety- which is ver\' rare. A man of consequence 

 may have two or three trees. The gift of an offshoot to a friend is a mark of dis- 

 tinction. I was at once told by both Governor Jackson and his head gardener 

 that one could not by any means go out and buy a stock of these. I really 

 think the Bentamoda variety- ranks with the Deglet Xoor and Menalher. The 

 stone is small and clean, and the fruit has the appearance and flavor to give it a 

 place in the first rank. It was learned from the Omda of Aswan that the Baria- 

 moda, or Sullota, of which a few trees may be found near -\swan. is identical 

 with this variety, the first name being a modification of Bentamoda and the 

 second given in reference to the district from which the off'shoots were obtained . 

 Aaronsohn secujed a f ew offshoots under the name "Bartamoda' in 1911." 



36819. ''Bentamoda. Xo. 2." 36823. • Bentamoda. No. 6.*' 



36820. ''Bentamoda. Xo.3." 36824. Bentamoda. No. 7." 



36821. 'Bentamoda. No. 4." 36825. Bentamoda. Xo. 13." 



36822. ••BentamJDda. Xo.5." 



36826. • Baraiairi is the great food staple and export date and is said to reach 

 L airo under the name Tbrimu. though there may be a distinct ^-arier^' of this 

 name. It is 2^ inches long or longer, narrow, tapering from base to apex : dull 

 purplish red : it dries bone hard . but is sweet and of a wheaty flavor : said to 

 resist the wee%"il and to keep two or three years. The people say that these 

 dates put in a rightly closed vessel of water a day or two become as good as 

 fresh dates and that the water makes a ver\- pleasant drink. Governor Jackson 

 informs me that this date is much sought as a food supply by pilgrims jotir- 

 ne^-dng to Mecca, on account of its excellent carr\-ing and keeping qualities.'' 



36827. ' The GondeHa (as theee people have it), or JendUa, is an oblong or 

 oval, blocky date, antimony yeUow 'Ridgway. xv). ripening to a chestnut 

 brown. It is a semidry date as it ripens, but exposed to the sun for two 

 hours each day it is made quire dr\-. It must, however, be careftilly guarded 

 against wee^-ils. It reaches Cairo only on special orders or as presents. It 

 is one of the \-arieties off'ered to guests as a sweet. "When sold, an ardeb of 

 320 pounds brings here about 154 piasters a piaster is about 5 cents). This 

 A-ariety is worth importing and is common enough, so that a fair supply can 

 probably be obtained." 



36828. "Kuhna. A ver\' soft, sticky- date when fijst mature, but becomes 

 firmer when cured in the sun. The fruit is 2^ to 2| inches long and 1^ to 1| 

 inches broad: dull yeUow, ripening to a rather dull, unattractive brown. 

 The skin is a bit thick and the flesh soft and rich, but with a lot of tough rag. 

 It is a date wonh trial, but not equal to the Bentamoda . though reminding 

 one in a way of the TafileU. The people explained that this variety should 

 never be planted on land near a river bank, but weU inland, in a dry situation. 

 Then the fruit cures without spoiling." 



For full notes on these date varieties, see "Dates of Eg\-pt and the Sudan." by S. C. 

 Mason. Btilletin Xo. 271, U. S. Department of Agrictilture. 1915. 



