Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
The Oasis of Tarla on the Sousfane River.

the surface in trickling stream. and the
result is scattered GASES covering a distance
of several miles. These GASES are so narrow
in places that could throw a stone over
them. They are often not more than one
hundred feet wide. broadening out to three
hundred feet or more In some places, Even
there the river bed Is often dry, but little
pools OF water now and then come to the
surface. and near them are date trees grow
ing out of the dry sand, most of which are
loaded with fruit
At Tarla such palms run UP and down the
river bed for eight or ten miles. l rode at
least six miles through them and that I'M
der punches of ripe dates all the way.
stopped near mud village, which was in
habited not long ago, but which is now de-
serted except at times of harvest Its peo-
pie have moved across the desert to Figutg
in order that they may be better reported
from the brigands of the desert. although
they still own and cultivate their little date
farms and when the crop Is ripe come back
to their mud huts and mud towers to watch
them.
The Vegetation of the Sahara.
The Arabs say that If you will thrust a
stick into the desert and water it you will
soon have a tree. can easily believe this
to be so. The sands of the Sahara are
wonderfully fertile. and if they could all
be watered this would be the garden spot
of the globe. AS it is, the rainfall the
whole region over does not average more
than five inches per year There are GER
tain places the highlands, however,
which have occasional rains, and at GER
tain seasons the water falls there for sew
eral days off and on. When this occurs
vegetation springs up az though by magic.
The ground is carpeted with grass and there
are wild flowers of many kinds. The Arabs
know of these regions and they go there
with their hoCks of sheep and goats to pas
ture. coming away when the grass disap-
pears
N m IN Tarla OH,
patches of thorn bushes scattered at wide
distances apart. Such vegetation is found
all along this part Of the Sopsfane. the
moisture not being sufficient for anything
else. There was a drove of camels feeding
the thorn bushes as l rode by and 1
stopped and made photographs of them.
Nearer the dry river bed where the mois-
ture was greater were thick punches Of
alta grass and other desert plants and now-
ers. and then came the region of date trees.
The palms were of all sizes. Some were
just sprouting and others were as high as
my head. Others were 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 that
of any country where rain is common. In
deed. the lack of rain is one cause of it's
great fertility. Other lands are leached
by the water, and the brooks and streams
carry great part of their potash and
other fertilizing matter out to the sea.
This is not 50 here. The rocks may dis
integrate more slowly, but the weathering
goes on all the same. There Is no place
where the changes of temperature
more sudden and marked. The is red
hot during the day. but when 1T sets 1t
becomes bitterly cold and blankets are by
no means uncomfortable. 1 always carry
an overcoat in my rides over the desert,
for | find that | need it,
The changes such that the rocks
split and crumble under them. The desert
winds as strong those of the sea-
and when the sirocco blows the sand cuts
ones face. 1t dashes the sharp grains
against the rocks and grinds. 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 lus-
ciouS oranges. grapes, melons and olives,
and also apples, peaches, pomegranates
and pears In the northern Sahara they
produce great quantities of wheat, barley,
mii!et and sorghum. and In the south to-
tomatoes and cucumbers for sale In the
markets. together with peas beans tur-
nips and carrots. The chief product how
ever, is dates.
Millions of Date Palms
The date palm thrives throughout the
Sahara If 1t car 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 inhabitants. 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 II is the food OF the people. The
date is in fact. the bread OF the desert; In
some places the people eat little else. and
dates are fed to the camels and even to
dogs. Such dates are not like those we
have in America. They are sort of dry
date, which can be stored away and kept
for years The dates sent TO the United
States of a soft variety, so full of
juice that they are often drained before