THE PLANTS AND GARDENS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS. 99 
of protection afforded by the Spanish Government there are 
several sugar worlds in operation, turning out a very good quahty 
of sugar. The Cane cultivated is the Otaheite, similar to that 
so largely grown in the AVest Indies. Where irrigated the Canes 
are very healthy and remarkably rich in sugar. The Canaries 
would serve as an excellent centre from which to obtain a fresh 
supply of healthy Canes for the West Indies and other places 
affected with disease. 
Date {Phoenix dactylifcra). — The Date Palm is widely culti- 
vated in dry districts in Northern Africa, Arabia, and Persia. It 
flourishes in the lowlands in the Canaries, but the fruit is seldom 
of the best quality. The choice sorts are propagated entirely by 
suckers from old trees. As the species is diojcious, that is, has 
the male and female flowers on different trees, it is necessary to 
take the suckers from female trees only. One or two male trees 
are suflicient in a moderately large grove. Sometimes the female 
flowers are fertilised artificially by dusting amongst them the 
pollen taken from male trees. If carefully cultivated and supplied 
with water, plants six or seven years old will begin to bear fruit. 
The best suckers, especially of the celebrated " Deglet nour " 
Date, if not already in the islands, could be obtained from Biskra 
through the Botanic Garden at Algiers. The finest fresh Dates 
I ever tasted were grown in an old garden at Jamestown, 
St. Helena. They were large, deliciously flavoured, pulpy fruits, 
with no kernel or stone. Suckers might be obtained also from 
this source. Date Palms will grow in extremely dry climates, 
but they require irrigation, or find water deep down in the soil. 
The roots travel immense distances in search of moisture. It is 
a mistake to suppose that absolute dry porous soils without 
moisture will support Date Palms. The native Date of the 
Canaries (P. canaricmis) does not produce eatable fruit. 
Pomegranate (Picnica Granatum). — There are several 
varieties of this plant. Many dwarf sorts, bearing double red 
or white flowers, are very ornamental. The tree-like plants 
met with in Canary gardens bear globular fruits as large as an 
orange with a hard shell filled with seeds. The latter are 
covered with a pink juicy coating. The bust sorts of fruits 
with abundant sweet juice are cool and refreshing in hot 
countries. The rind is sometimes employed for tanning, and 
it gives the yellow colour to Morocco leather. 
H 2 
