The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-10
FACTS ABOUT DATES.
Something About the Discovery OF Sex N
Plants and Its Importance.


the usual high and slender stem OF all its
class. >urmounted NJ the top by tuft or
rosettc OF srrcljing fcaihery pinnaie
leave. deep green in hue, and from nine
10 twelve iect long in well grown
specimen There ;Tc somc very fine
ones. wei Known - most European tour
ISIS. in the gardens and cOurtyards of
Algiors and Orau. In height they some
times reach as much ~ eighty feet near
running water: and as they live and bear
seed for POO wears. the follower OF the
prophe. vino plants date palm may in
deed Dc regarded rs labor.ng for posteriiy.
The trees begin t. bear fruit at seven
years old produce abundantly at twenty,
and go ON supplying his childron's chill
dren far on into second century.
The most interesting item about the
date palm. however. is the fact that it
was the first species ia which the dis
tinction of scx in plants was ever noticed.
As long ago a. the dags Of Herodotus,
and doubtless dozens oi centuries earlier,
the Egyptians and Babyloniaus knew
that the dates conld only be- fully set by
hanging the cluster of lualc flowers
where their pollen could falt upon the
female blossoms and impregnate the
ovaries A. usual. this Bit Of abstract
knowledge was earliest acquired whereit
brought Itself 10 bear upon the universal
subject az human sympathy, the queS-
ton Of dinner Your contryman who
knows al other funsi merely IN the
lump by th. common .aiue al toad7ioOli
eau discriminate as accurately as
trained Way)iogi-t tine .llIle mushroom
from all inferior specie. Your opicure
with the >ueuest views as to siugs and
snail5 can safely lee trusted. not only to
identify that familiar bigalye, Ostfea
eduli, bur even To di.tingui h between
such minor varieties "a, tie Porlugu
and the " lat. table native. the Blue
Point and tha gruu!pr saddle Rock.
And So. too. tl!t distinction oi male and
female la the date palm forced Itself
violently upon tie attention Of hungry
humanity .,,- before Linupus had
demonstrated tine function. OF pollen or
the anaue,ueuts .f -eNe, in the rose
and the butter,up.
Most plants "a all Jue Wodi now
knows nave 'Ae 9lai.'''.'' " iiiy' i.'o'''1'
the pollen ana '"' li''iI. "Hioi. contain
the embit ON. a-eds- int43'td -ii one ana
the same blossom; though r'e" ii 7ach
eases provision Is usually made iol cross
fertilization bl tht agency oil insects
either because 'he 'taI-..i. anu pl'ln7 40
not bolh mature simdi'-''''"''l' '' ue-
cause ll' l'ii. is "' ''iii.'A.' '' never
10 Tall naturally upon lirsrI- iti|r715uid
OF the unfipe capsule. bnt ln " IT,"
plant a., ior example. I'D The common
bcgonia and IN hoN and lolit'iN the
male and female iioW,ra are quite DIS
llnct. though both grow upon the same
stem. AMI m sat others. like the red
camp.on. thch0p and the hau,boy straw
berry. one plant Will produce nothing
bat barren or -taIhen bearing ilow'!s,
while another viii proiHce only ieithe
ortrut bearing blossoms. Ia tbs last
case. 10 which category llo dalc PAIN
belongs, the -eNe, arc ,roty aud ALSO
lutely separated. Each individual liant
Of the sort may properly bcw"arded as
& huge phalan,ieit ot community If
male or female flowers. Tor which the
bee or Other insect acts as a goo "t"cen
Now. every separate daie pallH b. mus
either pollen brarrr"r airuit lf"ducrr.
and a. II ], impossible 10 Ieil htiofrhahd
whether ans particular SEED VIII BRING
forth male on female plant Inr Arabs
who wish. Of course. for fertile palms
only, do Not usually propagate from seed
at all. bat prefer To raise their Young
stock hy slips az suckers. taken irpm The
foot of a female tree. DurnS the Hover
ing sen on theN~cut oil the btanchr' OF
spikes 81 blossom rom me "ihi P'llen
bearing palms or from lew 'luuN"teI
ones grown for tAal speciai pHipo~', ana
hang them b. Inc 5idc Of 'he lfuil Dear
ing flowers IN 'hrir OWN sai"eii'' Ih,
bees ana other insects lilei idr''' anu
ellectually set IN" ltuit by uic"n' ci"u.'y
carrying the pollen aho"t "h 'hef Do''e'
rs they hunt Tor none. IN Inc adjacent
Nca9 y, ~ ~"
o,,,II na 'r;,on h,- MODERN bot-
49,. ~ r,.io ao,vers .,,o,v ,s
a.. a., ,,,,,olo