A History of Agriculture in India v2.c69.s1.38

v2.c69.s1.38

*The Date-palm.* 'The date-palm (*Phoenix dactylifera*) is another. This is not peculiar to Hindustan, but is here described because it is not in those countries (Tramontana). It grows in Lamghan also. Its branches (i.e. leaves) grow from just one place at its top; its leaves (i.e. leaflets) grow on both sides of the branches (midribs) from neck to tip; its trunk is rough and ill-coloured; its fruit is like a bunch of grapes, but much larger. People say that the date-palm amongst vegetables resembles an animal in two respects; one is that, as, if an animal's head be cut off, its life is taken, so it is with the date-palm; if its head is cut off, it dries off; the other is that, as the offspring of animals is not produced without the male, so too with the date-palm, it gives no good fruit unless a branch of the male-tree be brought into touch with the female-tree. The truth of this last matter is not known to me. The above-mentioned head of the date-palm is called its cheese. The tree so grows that where its leaves come out is cheese-white, the leaves becoming green as they lengthen. This white part, the so-called cheese, is tolerable eating, not bad, much like the walnut. People make a wound in the cheese, and into this wound insert a leaflet, in such a way that all liquid flowing from the wound runs down it. The tip of the leaflet is set over the mouth of a pot suspended to the tree in such a way that it collects whatever liquor is yielded by the wound. This liquor is rather pleasant if drunk at once; if drunk after two or three days, people say it is quite exhilarating. Once when I had gone to visit Bari, and made an excursion to the villages on the bank of the Chambal-river, we met with people collecting this date-liquor in the valley-bottom. A good deal was drunk; no hilarity was felt; much must be drunk seemingly, to produce a little cheer.