LETTERS. 417 
dix, has female flowers , that comes out of its fpatha, 
they fearch on a tree that has male flowers , which 
they know by experience, for a fpadix, which 
has not yet burfted out of its fpatba : this they 
open, take out the fpadix , and cut it lengthways 
in feveral pieces, but take care not to hurt the 
flowers. A piece of this fpadix , with male flowers, 
they put lengthways between the lrnall branches of 
the fpadix which hath female flowers, and then lay 
the leaf of a Palm over the branches. In this’fi- 
tuation, I yet faw the greateft part of the fpadices 
which bore their young fruit •, but the male flowers 
which were put between were withered. The 
Arab befides gave me the following anecdotes : 
Firft, unlefs they, in this manner, wed and fecun- 
date the Date- tree, it bears no fruit. Secondly, 
they always take the precaution to preferve fome 
unopened fpatba with male flowers , from one year 
to another, to be applied for this purpofe, in 
cafe the male flowers fhould mifcarry or fuffer 
damage. Thirdly, if they permit the fpadix of 
the male flowers to burft or come out, it becomes 
ufelefs for fecundation : it muft have its maiden- 
head. , (thefe were the words of the Arab) which 
is loft in the fame moment the bloffoms burft 
out of their cafe. Therefore the perfon, who cul- 
tivates Date-trees, muft be careful to hit the right 
time of affifting their fecundation, which is almoft 
the only article in their cultivation. Thirdly, on 
opening the fpatha , he finds all the male flowers 
full of a liquid, which refembles the fineft dew ; 
it is of • a lweet and plealant tafte, refembling 
much the tafte of frefti Dates-, but much more 
refined and aromatick: this was likewife con- 
firmed by my interpreter, who hath lived thirty- 
two years in Egypt, and therefore had opportuni- 
ties 
