. Agricultural news. Agriculture -- West Indies; Plant diseases -- West Indies. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Sri'TEMBER 16, FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. THE DATE PALM. The date palm, to be successfully grown, needs intense heat, excessive dryness of the airand absence of rain for months at a time, especially during the growing season. Hot and dry winds are advantages rather than drawbacks to the date palm. This palm lias the'power of resisting large amounts of alkali in the soil, hence does not mind the ordinary brak and sandy soils so frequently met with in the dry regions. The best commercial va
. Agricultural news. Agriculture -- West Indies; Plant diseases -- West Indies. THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. Sri'TEMBER 16, FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. THE DATE PALM. The date palm, to be successfully grown, needs intense heat, excessive dryness of the airand absence of rain for months at a time, especially during the growing season. Hot and dry winds are advantages rather than drawbacks to the date palm. This palm lias the'power of resisting large amounts of alkali in the soil, hence does not mind the ordinary brak and sandy soils so frequently met with in the dry regions. The best commercial variety is the Deglet Noor. The Khars $s a good early date for cool climates; the plant is vigorous, 'bears while young, and the fruit is extremely sweet and tender- Skinhed. The Teddala is also a good sort for a cool climate. The fruit of this variety is larger than that of the Khars. It attains a size up to 3 inches long, is a vigorous grower and prolific bearer. Sonle varieties of the date require practically no curing, but dry on the bunch quite fit for use. The proportion of male palms in commercial groves should be one to a hundred; it is, however, advisable to have One to fifty. The blooms in spring should produce six to twenty flower clusters; each flower cluster on a female palm produces fruit. 'A bunch bears from 10 to 40 lb. of dates. Vigorous trees are allowed to carry eiglft to twelve'bunches. ' • r Seedlings are .not the best means for [iropagation, ott- ehoots are preferable, as they withstand more alkali in the soil than seedlings. Also, the date does not always reproduce true to type from seed. Offshoots should be set out where they are from three to six years old, not earlier. should be planted in the fearly summer when the soil is warm, and be kept moist con- tinually during their first season. In soils where a considerable quantity of alkali is present and rises to the surface, young i)alms do not thrive well. may be given them by enclosin
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