The future of the date palm in India (Phœnix dactylifera) / by E. Bonavia.

  • Emanuel Bonavia
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The future of the date palm in India (Phœnix dactylifera) / by E. Bonavia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PREFACE. I HAVE been long convinced that of all the trees which have been tried in India, either for fuel or as a help in times of famine, the date trees, offered the most advantage. I have had a good defal of experience in growing it, both from seed and from offsets, in the Lucknow Horticultural Garden. I have seen and tasted the fruit of some of the trees I had under my care. Others have also found that, when fertilized, and in certain seasons, the date trees in Oudh yield good fruit. I have now collected a great deal of information about the date tree and its fruit, both through Government and private sources, together with some data regarding rainfall in date districts and in districts of India which, from personal acquaintance, I think, especially suited to this useful tree. I thought, therefore, that putting the whole in the form of a small book might be of some public use. I have added some rules for the cultivation of the date palm in India, and a scheme for extensive date-planting] in tracts where its presence in large numbers would be most desirable. In order to forestall any adverse criticism* I will admit that the objections to date-growing in India are two : (i) damp- ness of the atmosphere and soil during ripening time ; (2) the depredations of wasps. Both objections I think may be easily disposed of. (i) As the main object of my scheme is—protection against failure of ordinary crops in times of scarcity of rain and famine, I think
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