100 
THE DATE PALJI FOR QtJEENSLAND. 
Miscellaneous. 
Tunis has 2,000,000 date trees ; Egypt, 4,000,000 
Bussorah, in Turkey, has enormous date groves stretching along 
both banks of the Euphrates for a distance of over 140 miles, 
yielding 40,000 tons in good seasons. 
The price in England in March, 1894, was — Bussorah, 
(boxes), 9s. to 13s. 3d.* per cwt. ; Tafilet, 44s. to 50s. per cwt. 
Dates contain more than half their weight in sugar, but 
there is a fair amount of flesh-forming material present as well. 
Dates, Avithout the stone, contain in 100 parts — 
Water 
Albumen 
Sugar 
Pectose and gum 
Fat 
Cellulose 
Mineral matter 
The pungent rigidity of the foliage protects the date from 
encroachment of pasture animals ; hence it can be left Avithout 
fencing or hedging. 
Queensland as a Date Country. 
6 -() 
54 
12-3 
0-2 
I liaAe noA^ giv^en all the general information I can find in 
regard to the cultiA-ation, Ac., of the Date Palm in North Africa, 
luikeA in Asia, and Aralua. It Avill be conA’enient iioaa' to see if 
m Queensland similar conditions of temperature, Ac., can be 
found. The part of Queensland Avhich, bearing in mind the 
requirements of the plant already set forth, seems to be the 
most suitable for the cultivation of the best dates is to the Avest 
of Hughenden, I.ongreach, and Cliarleville, and from latitude 
23deg. to the southern border of the colony. The following 
remarks all refer to this area : — 
TEJIPERATrjRE. 
Comparing the region of Queensland which includes these 
places, with Biskra, in North Africa, in latitude 34deg. Slmiii.- 
at an altitude of 410ft., aa'o have 
