288 



THE DATE PALM. 



considered very heating, in consequence of which they are not much 

 used on journeys, as causing great thirst. The most relishing and 

 wholesome way to eat them is when made into a paste mixed with 

 barley. Each year the lowest ring of leaves falls off, so that the 

 age of a palm may be roughly calculated by the notches on the stem. 

 It will bear for at least two hundred years, but after a century, 

 its fruit begins to decline, and it is generally then cut down for 

 building purposes. Each proprietor has a right to two hours' water 

 in the day from the stream which passes by his grounds, and this 

 right is always specified in the title-deed by which he holds his 

 garden. Before the dates are ripe, each family is bound to set 

 apart one tree, all the fruit of which is consecrated to the service 

 of the Mosque and the use of the poor. From the juice of the 

 tree is made a fermented wine or liquor called laguni, of which 

 the Arabs are very fond. In its fresh state it has an insipid taste 

 like new beer. It is produced in Egypt by simply making an in- 

 cision in the top of the tree, reaching the centre. A tube is 

 fitted, through which the sap flows into a bamboo-joint vessel. 

 The palm thus yields about ten quarts every morning. The 

 Egyptians bleed the tree every two months, sometimes every day, 

 to prevent the healing of the wound. The operation will kill the 

 tree if continued too long, but cautiously practised for a few days, 

 will often invigorate a sickly or ill-bearing palm. The cabbage, or 

 heart of the date tree, is also eaten, and the taste approaches that of 

 a sweet potato, but it is never cut unless the tree has accidentally 

 fallen. 



The bunches of fruit are suspended by peduncles as thick as a 

 man's fist. The yellow dates are the smallest, and the black gene- 

 rally the largest, but there is a larger variety of the yellow date. 

 The fruit does not all ripen at once, but each date matures separately, 

 and, falling, makes way for another to ripen. 



In this dried state they form the principal food of the Arabs, and 

 are esteemed by many other nations. The crushed dates, which 

 arrive in Europe in mass, are the inferior and damaged sorts. 



At the time of the collection of the ripe fruit, receptacles, walled 

 with masonry, something in the form of large oil jars, are prepared in 

 the yards of the houses to hold the dates; these will contain from 

 2000 lbs. to 6000 lbs. Men tread the dates d9wn, adding from time 

 to time a little water to soften them. An opening is left at the 

 bottom to allow the syrupy fluid to be collected. This is eaten with 

 butter. In the winter this mass of date paste or cake, is commenced 

 upon, and it is so solid that an antelope horn, or some other hard 

 tool, has to be used to dig it out.* 



The date palm is found growing in Central Africa according to 

 Dr. Baikie, as far south as Lukoja. 



Its various useful products are very numerous. The petiole, or leaf- 

 stalk, is employed for fences, and other supports. The tow from the 

 leaves is spun, used for stuffing saddles, and serves as tinder. The 

 fibre it yields is of use as a textile material ; of it are made ropes 

 for wells and cordage for vessels, as it is not impaired by sea water. 



* " The Commerce in Dates in the Souf," ' Explorateur.' Paris, vol. i, p. 310. 



