The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-29
THE DATE.

Dates, to us merely an occasional luxury,
are to the Arab the very "staff of life,"
just as the camel is his ship of the des-
ert." The date tree, one of the large fam
lily of palms; is a native of both Asia and
Africa, and will grow readily in any sandy
soil where the climate is not too cold. It
was long ago introduced into Spain by the
Moors, and few are still found even in
the South of France. But the most ex-
tersive date forests are those in the Bar
barry States, where they are sometimes
miles in length.
Growing thus, the trees are very beauti-
full. Their towering crests touching each
other, they seem like an immense natural
temple. The walls are formed of far
reaching vines and creepers that twine
gracefully about the tall, straight trunks,
and the ground beneath is dotted with tiny
wild-fiowers that, with their rainbow tints
and bright green foliage, are more beauti-
full than any floor of costly mosaics. For
worshipers there are thousands of gay
plumaged birds, fitting from bough to
bough, as they carol forth their morning
and evening songs, their little bosoms
quivering with gladness.
The Bedouins, or wild Arabs of the des-
ert, who consider it beneath their dignity
to SOW or plant, or cultivate the soil in any
way, depend upon gathering the date
where they can find it growing wild, but
the Arabs of the plains cultivate it with
great care and skill, thus improving the
size and flavor of the fruit, and largely
increasing the yield. In some varieties
they have succeeded in doing away with
the hard seed, and the So called seedless
dates, being very large aud fine, are highly
priced. When ripe, the date is of bright
golden color, fragrant and luscious; and in
the dry, hot countries where palms grow,
no better food Tor morning, noon or night
can be found, while one never wearies of
the sweet pulpy fruit, gathered fresh from
the tree. But the trees do not bear all the
year round, of course, and SO the Arabs
make what they call date honey, using for
this the juice of the ripe fruit, and those
who can afford it preserve dates fresh
through the year, by keeping them in close
vessels covered over with this honey.
Wine and spirits are also made from
dates BY distillation; but they are sold, for
the most part, to foreign traders. For the
Arabs are exceedingly temperate in their
habits; and poor and ignorant as many of
them are, drunken man is never found
among them. There is still another pro-
duct Of the date-one that is of vast i'm
portance to the poor Arabs in their long
journeys across the deserts. This is date
flour, made by drying the ripe fruit in the
sun, and afterward grinding it to powder.
1t is then packed in tight sacks, and if
slowed away from the damp will keep for
years. This is food in its most compact
form, easily carried about, and needing no
cooking; it has only to be mostened with
a little water, and the meal is ready for
eating. How wisely has the all-lovlng
Father provided for these sons of a barren
soil, suiting his mercies to their needs
giving them for their toilsome journeys the
patient, hardy camel, the only beast of
burden that could bear the heat and drought
of their deserts; and for their own susten.
ance, the wholesome, nutritious date
Fannie r. Feudge, in St. Nicholas for
December.