Page 312 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

16 ADMINISTRATION r.3PORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

APPENDIX B TO PART I.

A rltximi of what hat ban done in the Persian Gulf at regards the introduction of the Arabian
date-palm in India, by Khan Bahadur A. R. Hakim, L.M.,\ Assistant to Political Best-
dentj Persian Qulf.
Tho Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Oudh; in his letter No. 4020, doted lHth
September 1868, Lucknow, wroto to tho Government of Bombay soliciting assistance in pro­
curing from the Persian Gulf, through tho Resident there, a quantity of all varieties of the
date-palm seeds, especially tho El-Hasa dates described by Mr. Palgrave in his book of Travels
through Central and Eastern Arabia.
Copy of this letter was forwarded to Colonel Pelly (now Sir L. Pelly, M.P.) as per Gov­
ernment Resolution No. 2035, dated 1st October 1868, with a request to meet the wishes of
the Chief Commissioner in Oadh. Accordingly Colonel Pclly, having procured the following
nine varieties of date seeds,—oir., Sisi, Khanizi, Zynadliini, Kasp, Kakab from Dashti, and
Khedrowi, Gantar, Sameran, and Hallowi from EI-Busra,—despatched them to India, advising
the Bombay Government, as per his letter No. 141, dated 31st December 1868, of his having
done 80, and adding that he will be happy to assist in any further way he may be able, in this
interesting experiment.
In his letter No. 2015, dated 18th May 1S69, Lucknow, the Secretary to tho Chief Com­
missioner of Oudh wrote to the Bombay Government reporting that all the seeds of the date-
palm sown in Oudh had germinated and were thriving; and' requesting that directions be
given that a further supply of the best kinds of stones be furnished annually to the Province
of Oudh, and despatched so as to reach Lucknow in the month of January of each year.
The Bombay Government forwarded a copy of the above letter to the Resident in the
Persian Gulf, as per Government Resolution No. 1785, dated 3rd June J 869, requesting him
to take the necessary Bteps to effect a compliance with the request of the Chief Commissioner
of Oudb.
On the 21st August 1869, Colonel Pelly wrote to Mr. P. J. C. Robertson, then a Vice-
Consul at Busrah, requesting him to send a quantity of the best date stones obtainable. In reply
Mr. Robertson wrote saying that
“ the palm is produced in this district by planting the offshoots which sprout around
the foot of the female tree. It rarely vegetates from the stone, or should a single leaf
spring up, as is sometimes the case, it generally withers on attaining the height of one or
two feet. The stones being deemed valueless are not preserved, and they are consequently un­
procurable for the moment in any quantity. If yon will kindly let me know by telegraph
the number of either stones or plants you desire, I shall forward them to you by the first
opportunity. The latter are extremely hardy and may remain for eight or ten weeks exposed
without injury; their average weight is about 6 pounds."
In reply to Government Resolution No. 1785, dated 3rd June 1869, Colonel Pelly
wro te, per his letter No. 187, dated 9th October 1869, that he had forwarded the required
date seeds, and enclosed a precis on the cultivation of the date-palm compiled by Mr. J. C.
Edwards, then the Uncovenanted Assistant Resident. The following twenty varieties of date
seeds in their pulp obtained principally from the Dashti districts, were made into separate packets
of 8 lb each, and sent oo Bombay packed up in a box, together with two bag* of date seeds, 7
and 6 lb each, from Bahrein, and one bag of seeds from Tangistan—Khanizi, Kabkab, Kandi,
Shaker, Gantar, Hallowi, Maktub, Khush-kha-rek, Shaikh Ali, Shirinu, Kharu, Jowzi,
Chehel-Gezi, Khatu-Shehabi, Nirid-Heni, Shahurri, Kayedi, Siai, Rash, Khorek-Gutu.
In his letter dated 27th October 1870, Bangalore, the Conservator of Forests, Mysore and
Coorg, requested Colonel Pelly to aid him in introducing the Arabian date-palm in Mysore,
adding that the palm would flourish in parts of Mysore, which were then overgrown wi
date-grass, a useless shrub, and that he was anxiou* to try whether this date-gras* con no
be replaced by the edible Arabian date, &c., &o., and further requesting to be furnished wi
any information on the mode of culture.
Colonel Pelly, in his letter dated 3rd December 1870, replied that he would be happy to
aid the Conservator of Mysore audCoorg Forests to introduce the date-palm into the ysore
country, and asked what number of male and female plants would be required. In ,ePJ
Conservator wrote, as per his letter No. 1216, dated 7th January 1871, that 20 male an
female plants would be sufficient for the experiment.