THE DATE PALM. 



289 



The fibre is obtained from the terminal shoot of the tree, and also 

 from the leaves. The peduncle which bears the fruit yields a 

 very strong thread, of a silvery white, resembling that of the agave, 

 which is used in the baths as a friction rubber. From the split 

 leaves of the palm, or with its folicles, mats and baskets are made, as 

 well as chairs or seats, at a very low price. The trunk is employed as 

 posts by carpenters ; the wood is compact, and easily cut into thin 

 planks, which take a fine polish. It may, indeed, be called the pine 

 wood of the desert, for it is the only long and straight timber to be 

 met with in the regions where it flourishes. From the unripe fruit 

 spirit and vinegar, and syrup or molasses, can be made. The crushed 

 kernels or seeds of the fruit are given as food to domestic animals, 

 being greedily eaten by camels, goats, sheep, horses, and dogs. 



In Egypt there are 4,000,000 female date palms grown, and the 

 annual production of dates there is estimated at 15,000,000 cwt. 

 annually, but they are nearly all locally consumed ; only from 300 to 

 700 tons being exported yearly from Alexandria. In Egypt about 

 thirty distinct varieties are enumerated. Those best known are a 

 stoneless kind, the dates of Assouan, Siout, Edfou, of the oasis near 

 Esneh, Helwa, Minieh, and Menchiek. The dates of Upper Egypt 

 and the oasis are the most delicate. 



The fine yellow dates of Eosetta and Burlos are preserved, and 

 much sought after in Europe, and might become the object of an im- 

 portant commerce. In preserving them the epidermis is removed, 

 and the two ends cut off ; the stone is taken out by means of a small 

 piece of wood, and the fruit thus preserved is boiled in water to 

 soften and separate an astringent principle ; they are then placed in 

 a bucket to drain, after which they are put in a glazed pot. There is 

 then added some hot concentrated sugar, in which they are left for six 

 hours. At the end of that time the syrup, having lost its consistency 

 by reason of its mixture with the water contained in the dates, is put 

 on the fire and concentrated as before. Some more dates are then 

 added, in which parched almonds have been placed, or some pistachios 

 instead of the stones, in order to keep them from getting out of shape. 

 It is then boiled again, until the syrup becomes more solid, and after- 

 wards put into earthenware pots. When cool a little pulverised 

 sugar, impregnated with essence of lemon, is added to flavour it. 



The principal revenue in Tunis is derived from their excellent 

 dates, which are exported in large quantities. According to a recent 

 enumeration there were 886,554 date trees in the Djerid, one of the 

 most important provinces of the Regency, which are taxed by the 

 government. As the young trees are not included, and there are 

 grounds for believing the calculations made to be incorrect, it is 

 presumed that the total number does not fall much short of 2,000,000, 

 which produce 300,000 cwts. of dates, valued in the locality at 

 487,000Z. The ordinary kind of dates are made into a paste or 

 cake, which forms the staple food of the Bedouin Arabs in the 

 Sahara. It is highly nutritious. The dates are sometimes eaten fried 

 in butter, or simply with fresh butter uncooked. In former times the 

 chief market for dates was Touzer, to which the merchants from 

 Ethiopia resorted with slaves, whom they exchanged for a very few 



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