Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-10
Especial to The Bulletin

conditions today in the lower part of
Mesopotamia through which the river
Shaft elArab, br united Eruphrate
ment on one of the phases of the geo
graphy Of the European war given out
here today by the National Geographic
Society.
After calling attention to the fact
that the Euphrates and the Tigris
unite at korna, and that the sands
and silt which they bring down
through Mesopotamia are adding
ninety feet year to the length of the
Shaft l-Arab, the statement contin-
ues:
IN spite of every kind Of adversely
that has befallen the region of lower
Mesopotamia it continued prosperous
up to the outbreak Of the war in that
region, for there the date palm has
Hour1shed as perhaps nowhere else in
the world. In some parts of the val
ley the rich profusion of these trees
remind one almost of q banana pIanta-
ton along the river valleys of Costs
RIGA and Guatemala.
some one has observed the pro-
per Coat-of-arrnS for all lower Meso-
botanic viii be q date palm, stating
that it IS the banner of the climate"
and the wealth of the country. 1t has
estimated that the annual date har-
vest of the river country of southern
MeSopotamia approXimates one hun
dred and fifty thousand tons.
The date tree consists of a trunk
about so to so feet high, which is
crowned at the summit by a cluster of
leaves dropping somewhat in the
shape of a huge umbrella The trunk
OF the tree has the appearance of be-
ing covered with scales, and these
rough foot-holds enable a man holding
his body to the tree by a loop-noose
to climb to the top with ease.
e.. The Arab is. about as successful in
making use Of every part of the date
tree as the American packer is of
every part of the pig. The American
pork packers loses nothing but the
squeal, but that Arab does not even
lose the bark. The pistils of the date
blossom contain a fine, curly fibre
which is used as a substitute for our
rubber sponge.
'At the extremity of the trunk is a
large Whftish terminal bud a hundred
times as large as an almond, but re-
senlbling it in consistency and taste
This bud is regarded as a very fine
table deEcacy. Syrup and vinegar
are made from old dates, and even
brandy is sometimes distilled from
them.
The date pit is ground up and fed
to cows and sheep. Whole pits are
used as beads and counters for Arab
children. The branches are stripped
of their leaves and used like rattan
to make beds, tables, chairs, cradles
boats, ETC., the leaves are made into
baskets, fans and strings, while ex-
cellent fibre is prepared from the bark
The wood of the trunk though light
and porus, is widely used in bridge
building and architecture.
The Arab seldom sits down to g
meal at which dates are not served
and he proudly boasts that his wife
can serve them in different way ev-
cry day in the month.
Up until the outbreak of the war
southern Mesopotamia was gradually
growing more prosperous because OF
the steady expansion of the date in
dustry. Much money was being ex-
pended in irrigation projects, one en-
terprise alone having been preparing
to spend $130,O00,O00 for the irriga-
ton of some 100000 acres of land. II
is estimated that there are $4,000, 0OC
acres of land in Mesopotamia that car
be proftably irrigated. This would
make a territory approximately the
size of New Hampshire, Massachusetts
and Connecticut.