: DATES OF EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 33 
by the Egyptian people, apparently in much the same way as they like a stalk of sugar 
cane. In aripe state this date is a disappointment, both as to appearance and as to 
quality. 
It ripens to an unattractive, nondescript color, as near “‘purple-drab” as to anything, 
and mottled with ‘‘dark purple-drab” (both R. XLV). The very thin skin wrinkles 
slightly, slipping with some difficulty from the flesh, from which it is parted by a 
thin layer of sirupy sap. 
The color of the flesh is a pale ‘‘honey yellow” (R. XXX), nearly white at the 
center, and with some ‘‘rag” surrounding the seed. The flavor is insipid, and it ranks 
very low in keeping quality, not containing sugar enough to prevent quick souring. 
The seed is coarse and rough, in the partially ripe fruit completely filling the cavity. 
Its germ pore is placed slightly nearest the base, and the furrow is broad and shallow. 
This variety is a good deal planted in private grounds about Alexandria and Ramleh, 
but the only regions of its culture on a 
commercial scale are about Edku and 
Rashid, the native name for Rosetta. 
While some of these plantations are 
within reach of irigation water, more 
frequently they are grown in dune slopes 
of pure sand, where the roots readily 
reach a brackish ground water (Pl. II, 
fig. 2). The cool, humid climate of the 
coastal region seems especially favorable 
-to this succulent variety, which is one 
of the latest to mature. . 
In some of the Cairo fruit stores glaced 
dates were on sale in fancy cartons, pre- 
pared by a Greek firm in Alexandria, 
which, from the peculiar form of the fruit, 
could have been no otherthan thisvariety. Fe. 8. Outlines of the Samany date in “rutab” 
Spite ois ioe ts oF th ests amaniyi command seie, anippad (fom Balu one Mottae 
the highest prices of any varietyin Egypt ranean coast. (Natural size.) 
for the reason that they are in great de- 
mand for planting in the gardens of new country and suburban places which are being 
built up around Alexandria. But few of this variety have been planted around 
Cairo. The only ones observed are in the Gizeh Garden, next to the Zoological 
Gardens and formerly a part of the palace grounds of Ismail Pasha, where they are 
planted along avenues with Zagloul, Bint Aischa, and several other varieties. - 
SIWAH (SIWI). 
(Notes made near Hauamdiyeh, November 5 and 17, 1913.) 
Trees of the Siwah date have large heavy trunks with coarse scales from’ the leaf 
bases and heavy, stiffly spreading tops. The leaves are 14 to 154 feet long, with very 
heavy bases, strongly rounded lower rib, which tapers gradually but still remains stiff 
and heavy at the apex. The spine area is from 2% to 4 feet, the spines very strong and 
heavy, bluntly acute, from 2 to 8 or 9 inches long. The stiff, coarse pinnee following 
these are 24 to 29 inches long and 1 to 14 inches broad. They diminish regularly in 
length toward the apex and increase in breadth up to 10 or even 11 feet from the base, 
being usually 17 to 20 inches long and 13 to 2 inches broad at 8 to 10 feet from the base 
and 11 to 14 inches long and 14 to 14 inches broad at the apex. Many of the upper 
pinne have the proximal fold broadened into a wing and are decurrent. The pulvini 
on the spines are unusually heavy and dark cream colored, being somewhat lighter 
on the less exposed pinnze. For the first 6 feet of the blade the pinne comprise only 
