The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-08-12
ARIZONA DATE PALM ORCHARD.
It Contains More Varieties Than Amy
Other Place in the World.

It Contains More Varieties Than Any
Other Place in the World.
The list Of future agricultural pro-
| ducts in the seTni-arid regions Of south
western Arizona is not complete with
| out mention of the date palm. Condi-
, tions unfavorable to other forms Of veg
citation are most conducive to the
growth of the date. The consumption
of dates in the United States has been
constantly on the increase, the impor-
! tations last year alone amounting to
| more than four hundred thousand dol
| lars. r..4 @." ~
The valley Of the Euphrates is said to
be the birthplace Of the date palm. In
any event, it is conceded that this re-
gion furnishes the most favorable con-
ditions for its successful culture In
fact, the date is a typical child of the
desert" Lands unfit for. other cultiva-
tion yield abundantly when used for
this purpose The fact that the soil and
climate of southwestern Arizona are so
nearly similar TO those of the desert re-
gions of Arabia and Africa led the bu-
reau Of plant industry in the United
States department of agriculture to es-
tablish a cooperative date orchard at
Tempe, Ariz., a few years ago. Its
commercial aspect made it important
to introduce the culture of the date
into the United states If possible, and
the experimental work has been taken
up by the department Of agriculture
with energy and vigor. More varieties
of the date palm are gathered together
in this experimental orchard than are
to be found In any other one place in
the world. The orchard is situated
three miles south of Tempe and about
ten miles from Phoenix, the capital of
the territory Eleven acres of palms
have been planted, comprising eighty
imported varieties and about eight hum
dred trees, all of which are in pros
porous condition. Shipments have
been received from Algiers, Egypt,
Arabia and Beluchistan. About sixty
of the trees planted in the last few
years are beginning to bear, and the
yield this year is expected to amount
to about fivs hundred pounds Of fruit.
Other trees will begin bearing every
year hereafter, and this orchard Is con-
fldently believed to be the nucleus for
many thousands of acres of land In the
regions of Arizona to be converted to
date culture. ..,- f. +
One of the most important additions
that have been made to the orchard is
the collection Of Persian varieties pre-
scented to the department of agriculture
by Barbour Lathrop OF Chicago. The
government has gone into the expert
nrent Of date culture on q large scale,
A representative Of the department Of
agriculture has lately visited the Per-
sian gulf region, and the data thus Sc
cured is proving valuable aid to the
work. When the trees at the expert
ment station are all bearing, they will
doubtless form the largest date orchard
in the world. h..
In Maricopa county, which is largely
composed Of the great Salt Rived val.
ley, date culture has risen to local COM
mercial Importance. In this valley cli-
matte and soil conditions are similar to
those of the Arabian home of the date
palm. However, while date culture is
now merely Of local Importance from
commercial standpoint, there is good
reason TO believe that in the near flu
ture this industry will play an impor-
tant part in the commerce of Arizona.
Soil conditions are an important ele-
ment in the successful culture Of the
date; it loves slightly alkaline soil,
and can thrive where enough salt is
present to kill most ordinary plants.
An adobe soil, with a slight admixture
nf sand in If IN make II lighter. Ia con-
sidered the most suitable. The soil of
the Salt River ella and Colorado val
leys is composed Of the alluvial depos-
it's of centuries Of erosion from the riv-
err sources and the high lands contigu-
Gus to their courses. The surrounding
mesas or table lands were, to a large
extant, at one time submerged. It will
readily be seen that these localities
have the advantage of of a soil COM
Oosed of ancient vegetati that needs