SAIDY DATE OF EGYPT. 15 
the Tamar. while producing a heavier crop than the other kinds, yields fruit 
of comparatively poor quality, which is on that account almost entirely used 
for home consumption * * *. The fruit exported from the oases, being 
entirely disposed of in the native markets of the Nile Valley, is packed and 
sewn up without any special care in palm-leaf baskets. For local use small 
quantities of selected fruit are frequently preserved in a moist state in earthen- 
ware jars. 
Xo offshoots under the name " Wahi " were ever imported for 
planting in this country. 
IMPORTATIONS OF THE SAIDY DATE UNDER VARIOUS NAMES. 
The first offshoots of the Saidy date secured under that name were 
received July 26. 1904. through H. A. Rankin, of Fayum. Egypt, 
who acted under instructions from David Fairchild. Agricultural 
Explorer of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Rankin arranged 
with a Greek merchant, who was going into Baharia with a trading 
caravan, to bring these shoots. Of a lot numbering 29, there were 15 
shoots of the Saidy variety. These were given S. P. I. No. 11485, 
as recorded in Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin 97 (Inventory 
Xo. 11). issued March 15. 1907. 
In February. 1905. Mr. Rankin, under instructions from Mr. Fair- 
child, made a journey from Alexandria to Siwa Oasis, where he pur- 
chased 114 offshoots, comprising six varieties, of which 42 offshoots 
were of the Saidy variety. These were received in Xew York on 
March 23. 1905. and the " Savdv " offshoots were listed in Inventory 
Xo. 11 under S. P. I. X T os. 15215 and 15220. 
In October, 1901. the Department of Agriculture had received 
through Mr. Fairchild, from Em. C. Zervudachi. a Greek merchant 
of Alexandria, a consignment of offshoots of six varieties from Lower 
Egypt, which included several labeled 4; Oga de Bedrichen, '' 9 which 
were designated S. P. I. Xo. 7632. Three trees of this lot can still 
be identified in the cooperative Date Garden at Tempe, Ariz. They 
are in no way to be distinguished from the Saidy trees from 
Baharia and Siwa procured by Mr. Rankin. In 1910 the writer pre- 
pared a general description of the character of these " Oga de 
Bedrichen n trees at Tempe. Ariz., which is here quoted from his 
unpublished manuscript notes. 
OGA DE BEDRICHEN, S. P. I. NO. 7632 (28). 
Trees of vigorous growth with very thick trunks and long, stiffly outcurved 
leaves, which give the mature top a spread of about 80 degrees. The very 
broad, thick leaf bases have a clear exposure of 12 or 15 inches below the 
first spines and taper gradually to the heavy rib. which is strongly rounded 
dorsally and has wide lateral faces. The rib diminishes steadily to a quite 
slender apex ; the outcurve is mostly made at the base, the body of the blade 
being rather stiff, but with graceful flexibility at the top. 10 
A summing up of the leaf characters discloses, first, a lower leaf armed 
with powerful spines set at very effective angles for defense; second, a broad 
blade due to the rather long pinnae and strong axial spread of the introrse and 
retrorse pinnae classes, with a deep valley of the antrorse pinnae through the 
broader part of the blade ; but in the outer 3 or 4 feet all classes spread out 
8 The spelling " Bedrichen." is retained to designate the trees grown from this consign- 
ment. The place name is " Bedrashen." 
10 For a manual of the terms used in describing date-leaf characters, see " Botanical 
Characters of the Leaves of the Date Palm Used in Distinguishing Cultivated Varieties." 
Bulletin 223, United States Department of Agriculture, by the writer of this bulle- 
tin (S/>. 
