The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-28

sufficient for anything else. There
was a drove of camels i--ding on the
thorn bushes as l rode by, and
stopped and made photographs Of
them. Nearer the dry river bed where
the moisture was greater were thick
punches of alta grass and other desert
plants and flowers, and then came the
region of date trees. The palms were
of all sizes. Some were just sproutine
and others were as high as my head.
Others were so tall that their Arab
owner had to climb them to cut off
the punches of dates, which always
grow at the top.
A Vast Bed of Fertilizer.
The soil of the Sahara is not like
mon. 1ndeed, the lack of rain Is one
cause of its great fertility. Other
lands are leached by the water, and
the brooks and streams carry a great
part of their potash and other fertiliz-
ing matter out to the sea. This is not
so here. The rocks may disintegrate
more slowly but the weathering goes
on all the same. There is no place
| where the changes of temperature are
more sudden and marked. The sun
is red hot during the day, but when it
sets it becomes bitterly cold. and
blankets are by no means uncomfor-
table. l always carry an overcoat in
/
that ! need it.
The changes are such that the rocks
split and crumble under them. The
desert winds are as strong as those of
the sea, and when the srocco blows
the sand cuts ones face 1t dashes the
sharp grains against the rocks and
srinds them down, without the action
of water, so that all the rich fertilizing
materials lie where they fall.
The GASES Will grow almost anything
that is grown in California. They have
luscious oranges, grapes, melons and
olives. and also apples peaches, ponce
granates and pears. In the northern
Sahara they produce great quantities
of wheat, barley, millet and sorghum,
and in the south tobacco and cotton.
l see elephants, onions, tomatoes and
cucumbers for sale in the markets,
together with peas. beans. turnips and
carrots. The chief product, however,
is dates.
Millions of Date Palms.
The date palm thrivcs throughout
the Sahara ii it can only have water
1t is like wheat in our country; the
money crop of every oasis and the chief
support of the people. Indeed an oasis
is known, not by the number OF its in
habitants, but by the number of date
palms 1T contains. and it's inhabitants
! are rich or poor according as the dates
produced are good or Indifferent. 1t
is the date crop that loads the cara
vans, and it is the food of the people.
/ The date is, in fact, the bread of the
desert; in some places the peoplo eat
little else, and dates are fed to tho
camels and even to dogs. Such dates
are not like those we have in America.
They are a sort of dry date, which
can be stored away and kept for years
The dates sent to the Unitel States are
of a soft variety, so full of Juice that
they are often drained before they arc
/ table dates. These are delicious when
! eaten fresh from the trees. We have
] them now every day at our dinner and
\ served at breakfast with tie coffee
+ and rolls. They are fat yellow date,
as sweet as sugar and as plump as a
pruno before 1T is pressed.
The Gases of Tuat.
| Among the GASES fed by dried rivers
those of Tuat produce about the best
dates, although their product Is not
SO good as the dates of Tablet which
lies at some distance from hero in
I Morocco.
Tuat Is now controlled by tho
i French. 1t has Tuaregs on cames, un-
ernment patrolling 1t to keep order
and the people have become peaceful
and thriving,
Tuat is not one oasis only. 1t is
composed OF five large groups of
GASES in the very centre of the Sahara
comprising three or four luStntl;ed petty
states, 1T is scattered over "a region
as big as Indiana, and 1t has alto
gether population of 100000 Arabs
Berhers and blacks, The people of
Tuat govern themselves much as do