Arizona republican., 1899-08-27


they have not proven Il success. and the
department. has learned the reason for
the failure Fruit growers in Florida
and California have tried them. bat tha
climate was not dry enough. As far
rs the temperature, waS concerned the
trees We're well suited They grew 10
great height. and the foliage was lux
infant but they refused to bear TO any
extent. The few dates that We're pro-
dIlced We're of a poor quality.
Mexico has also been the scene of
some trials along these lines. but these
also Were not 50 very successful. 1t
was lot due to any climatic conditions.
! however. but a lack Of knowledge rs
to the best method to be pursCed.
Arizona has DATE palms that have been
growing for more than a quarter of a
century. and the trees have thliYed so
well as to convince the enthusiasts tina
they have found the place TO mise
them if the best varieties were in
PRODUCED.
The Cltes that have been grown in
this country So far have been produced
from seeds. and the trees are called
seed ngs. Any one familiar with the
growth Of apple trees knows that the
seed of the best variety. when planted.
produces a very scraggy apple. 1t Is
not at all like the fruit from which, Ille
seed came. 1t is the same way with
the date. Tie only way to get good re-
suits is to get the suckers thai grow
near the roots and plant them.
This has been doTJa in -AlizCra in
few cases. and the result has Eeen
most satisfactory. The great tlOuf.e
has been to- get th,4 best varieties. The
i .,11
the world looking UP species most
ada|ued to their uses. and last yenr
ON of these was in italy. He selected
some very fine specimens and ordered
III IN shipped to this country. When
they arrived it was found that the
trezes were very inferior. The deralt-
n,ietnt was swind-ed by the shippers.
There is another. peculiar phrase of
date culture. Some of the trees are
male and the others are female. Only |
the female tres bear fruit. As Il usual
thing the pollen from one male date !
pam is enough for twenty of the gent |
Ter sex. On ore OCCASION an ageTs of !
the department. ordered soma very fire
trees and upon their arrival in this +,
country it was found chat Only males I
had been sent.
''At present The department. is going |
into the question Of date growing very |
vigorously. ! large number Of suckers
have been secured from the hest Al |
ger:an trees. and they are in charge OF
responsible persons who Will see that |
there is no substitution. They will he /
shipped to the United States early next
string. ard the experiments in Arizona |
viii then he pIcl,led with as much ze-il
as possible.
Prof. J. w. TComey. formerly Of the
agricultural experiment station at the
university of Arizona. Is. one CT the
prime movers in the affair. He has
seen the growth of the trees out IN chat |
country. and is cOnfde-it that it means
a new industry for the arid regions of |
the southwest. He said Yesterday in |
talking of the subject with a Post le-
porter:
THE climate of Arizona is ideal for |
the culture of the date palm. In the |
first place there is IIttle rainfall. The
tres does not object 10 moisture at It's
rcOts. but it becomes merely an ormen-
tai IL humid regions. We cam supply /
the water by irrigation. and sit the
same time the trees will net be retar
ded by atmospheric moisture. Tnels2 is
a ten-aicre orchard in Salt river valley. |
which has been SIT aside for date
palma exclusively. The orchard is al
ready partially stocked with young
trees. ard they are growing nicely.
We have some suckers iii Algiers
which are now being rooted AID they
will be shipped next spring.
g The station on Salt river will he
used as distributing POiLit, but the
process VIII necessarily tie Il slow one.
In TIE first Place the trees bear only a
limited number of suckers, and as there
is no grating. ii Will he sCnae time be
fore we are fully stocked Up. How
ever. when a dare palm once gels
started it will grow for generations.
What the trees like Is a long. ho1. dry
summer. If any enc has ever been in
Arizona he will come round to the
opiniOn THAT it is an ideal place for
late culture.
As far as he commercial end is
we don't claim that 'there's
il it as Mulberry Sellers used
10 say Still. the industry should lie a
profitable enc. besidas furnishing the
people of the southwest with some
hing rev TO eat. We do not get good
lafas in this country. They are all
in the countries NNnera they
are produced When the tres in All
Drl get to bearing. you will see that
here is ID comparison between their
product and the dltes that are ROW
sold at the SitIee tt corners than there is
Jetween the Northern Soy and the or
linary crab apple.
: , I