290 



THE DATE PALM. 



hundredweights of dates, but this traffic has now ceased. There were 

 exported from Tunis in 1873 dates valued at 13,036Z. ; in 1874, 7,535?. 

 From Tunis in 1871, 37,000 cwt. of dates were shipped direct, but 

 owing to the heavy export duty levied upon them, a good many are 

 smuggled over the Algerian frontier. The duty is from two to ten 

 piastres per cwt. according to quality, those of Degla paying the 

 highest rate. From Morocco about 4000 cwt. are sent to the London 

 market, 



Bagdad sends away 3000 to 4000 tons of dates yearly. The date 

 groves of Bussorah are of great extent and value, forming an almost 

 unbroken line of from one to three miles in depth along both banks 

 of the Euphrates and Shat-el-Arab, from Medinhab to the sea — that 

 is, for more than 140 miles — and yield annually from 40,000 to 

 60,000 tons of dates in a good season. In 1869 the produce was 

 but 25,000 tons ; in 1870 rather less. Owing to a succession of cold 

 north-westerly winds, which prevailed during the spring and early 

 summer, while the date palms were still in flower, much of the fruit 

 failed to arrive at maturity, and the crop gathered in the autumn was 

 both poor and bad. In ordinary years about 33,000 tons are pro- 

 duced in the Turkish portion of this district, and 26,000 tons in that 

 under Montefik rule. About half the above may be roughly stated as 

 consumed in Bussorah and in the interior, and the other half exported 

 to the Persian Gulf ports, India, and England. 



The kinds most esteemed are hullowee, zehedi, and khudtherawee ; 

 the other varieties, of which there are no less than 36, are known in 

 commerce by the common name of sayr. The quantity of each kind 

 produced in 1873, and their range of price per ton, according to the 

 report of the British consul, was as follows : — 





Quantity. 



Price. 





tons. 



£ 



s. 



d. 





6,404 



15 



16 







Khudtherawee . . 



2,377 



10 



13 









1,937 



13 



15 









412 



10 



12 









24,625 



8 



9 10 



The dried dates are pulverised, and this meal is carried with them 

 by the Arabs on journeys. By allowing the dates to ferment in 

 water, a vinous beverage is obtained, which is also much esteemed. 

 When the fruit has been left to ripen thoroughly on the tree, and has 

 attained a fine red colour, it is too soft to be dried, and hence is made 

 by pressure into a solid cake or mass called " adjoue," and with us 

 "date-cake." A great quantity of this is sent from Bussorah to 

 India. The Arabs of Sinai make a date-cake into which they put 

 almonds, and then wrap it in skins. These bales of date-cake are 

 sold in Cairo during the winter. In travelling, dates soaked in water 

 form a mild and refreshing drink. 



The consumption of dates is not large in the United Kingdom, but 

 of late years we have no official returns, as the Board of Trade does 



