DATES OF EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 39 
which it rounds unequally to an obtuse apex (fig. 9). The brilliant and striking color 
of this fruit is rather elusive when one tries to place it. In some specimens a deep 
“‘pomegranate purple” (R. XII) is the most apt description, while others are better 
described as ‘‘carmine,’’ deepening to ‘‘ox-blood red” (R. I). Either on the trees or 
in the market stalls this date has the most attractive appearance of any Egyptian 
variety. The skin is thin, and as the fruit ripensit easily slips from the flesh. In the 
condition usually marketed the flesh, about three-eighths of an inch thick, is crisp, 
brittle, juicy, sugary sweet, with but a slight astringency. Its color is best described 
as ‘‘maize yellow” (R. IV), but with a zone on the outside of about 2 mm. thickness 
of a deeper tint. The seeds 
are large, irregular oblong, 
roughly corrugated, and usu- 
ally imperfectly filled out at 
the base, the germ pore cen- 
tral, the ventral furrow irreg- 
ular, but usually shallow and 
open. The darker parts of the 
seed are colored ‘‘tawny olive’”’ 
(R. XXIX), shading to ‘‘olive- 
butf?? (R.. XL). 
The fruits of the trees in the 
Gizeh Garden were ‘“‘ripe,’’ 
that is, marketable, the first 
week in November. The va- 
riety did not appear on the 
market from the coast region 
till about November17. From 
that time until the middle of 
December there was a steady Fic. 9.—Outlines of the Zagloul date, two variations, in “rutab” 
shipment, but they did not (fresh) condition, on the Cairo market, November, 1913; 
remain on the market as late shipped from Eaku, on the Mediterranean coast. (Natural 
size.) 
as the Samany. It is stated 
that a few of both this variety and the Samany come to the Alexandria market 
from the cooler spots up the coast nearly throughout the winter. 
Doctor Eisen’s paragraph relating to 8. P. I. No. 32327, must be based on a good. 
deal of misinformation, both as to locality and time of ripening. This variety does not 
oe in the Fayum at all, and the few trees in Cairo gardens cut no figure commer 
cially. e 
SUMMARY. 
Date culture in Egypt and the Sudan is of very ancient origin, 
extending far back of the Christian era. The present number of 
date trees in these countries approximates 9,000,000, with an annual 
product valued at about $1 per tree. Of these trees, not to exceed 
one-fourth are of 12 important commercial varieties, the remainder 
chiefly ““balady,” or seedling, trees producing fruits of inferior grade 
commanding low prices. 
Date culture in the Nile Valley extends with little interruption — 
from the Mediterranean coast to Khartum, a distance of about 1,100 
miles, the longest continuous north and south extent of date culture 
in the world. This embraces a range in mean annual temperature 
