Gilpin observer., 1901-02-21
DATE PALMS IN DESERT.
Pia. to Make Arizona Blcc.l
With Great Groves.
sJcoIasTUL CULTURE I'M MExI-c.

Waited States Government E1-.-'-
-sc:its Lead To the Belief Thn. S.,;
g southvves. " Well Adapted e.
ts4e Product CT Africn-Alkeii c~sl
Tor Eat.s.
Thousands upon thousands of aores
of desert land, hitherto arid and ste -.
worthless and waterless, converted IN
10 a vast and beautiful blooming G.
chard Of waving date palm trees:
tus and mesquite, sagebrush and @!'c,e.
wood, valUelrss products of the ;5Crt
american desert giving way before ti.r
reclalming ingenuity of man, backtG h.;
the power and magic of water. aaal
evolving into the richest and most PRO
ductive land of the earth.
Such is the picture that has impTc.'e-
ed itself on the believers in the cvl-
ture Of the date palm in America. ar':
SO promising is this outlook that plans
are now being laid TO plant in northern
Mexico and southern Arizona grea.
orchards Of date palms, writes tdr
Phenix correspondent of the Chicago
Record. Indeed, at two points in Mex
leo along the Sonora river in the valley
west of the Batuca mountains two i'm
mense experimental orchards have been
laid out by American and Mexican
capitalists.
From Investigations made there nnd
at other points in Mexico and by the
government experiment stations OF
Arizona has arisen the theory that the
date palm can be successfully. profit
ably and easily cultivated in the Unit
ed States, and in the tending of the
date to flourish in soil where other
plants would not thrive will make date
culture not only one of the chief in
dustries of the southwest, but will give
1t field where 1t will not Interfere
In any manner with other forms Of
agriculture or horticulture. To be sure
the securement of proper supply OF
water for irrigation is n most impor-
tant adjunct to the great project OF the
conversion of the desert, and no extrn-
sive planting can be done until water
storage plans are developed. In view
of this fact the great results expected
| from date culture will be used 10 gtye
| additional weight to efforts brough. 10
bear for securing congressional aiu III
water storage enterprises.
In the two largest date enterprises in
Mexico private capital is providing VA
ter by the building of small reservoirs.
and it is likely that the same Plaza ...l
| be followed elsewhere. 1t has ieas
been known in Sonora that the Gaze
palm will grow and bear fruit. In al
most any of the Mexican towns inay
be seen lofty old trees which art at
once objects Of beauty and sources cf
food to the owners. At Altar In Pr
ticular there are two magnificent t-Ye,s
So or 90 feet In height which are snid
to be nearly 200 years old. In Lower
California. mt Muleje and Santa Rosa
| lia. there are said to be G0,CO0 hearing
trees. some of the fruit of which is
brought to the United States. Lack CT
water, however. has presented di:.i-
cultlcs to the development of the fruit
and the condition of excellence in
which II exists in the old world.
Attention to date culture In Arizona
| began about five years ago. when small
experiments were made Mt the GOVERN
mcnt experiment station. The results
were of such an encouraging nature
that the department of agriculture ap-
| propriated $4,000 for the purpose OF
introducing the choice old wcrid Va
ricties of dates. The sample trees
were bought In the French possessions
In the northern Sahara, shipped be:e
and planted at once in II plot OF ,-tound
near Tempe. \. II. To such grra; e2-
tent has the orchard prospered that
congress viii be asked for an additional
appropriation to still further propaEa.s
the date. Some of the first trees Plant
ed are producing fruit, and those ~ IA,
government station near PheuiS bore 4
heavy crop last year.
Alkall so common In the soil Of the
southwest, contrary to It's effects Oh
| other plant life. is of material aid IN
date culture. The quality OF ;Ir fruit
| Is improved by the allSall. gnd Indeed
| the Arabs are said to collect al&H!, and
| place It around their trees. Recently
much interest has been aroused In date
culture, and many paintings nre being
made In this territory. SO obvious Is
| II that the date Is peculiarly suited 70
this soil and climate that there can he
no doubt OF its success MS n product
| and strong commercial factor sam
| pies of dates grown In ArIsonn were
sent east late last summer. and By
their size and flavor they excited much
admiration. SO confident are ihr ndyo-
Gates OF date culture that they expect
In ten years to hc able to entirely throt-
tie the importation Of TINT fruit. most
Of which now comes from northern
| Africa.