Pollenize Now for Dates, Says Stiles, And Explains How By HARVEY C. STILES Horticulturist. Brownsville This week begins the season for pollenizing the date palms through cut the Valley so that they will produce and ripen their peerless fruit. And if all are properly pollenized there will be this year many tons of perfect, delicious ripe dates. The most delicious and wholesome of all sweet fruits, and one of the most valuable of all the food fruits, for use enner iresn, dried, or still better,' dehydrated, like the splendid dehy drated dates sent out by express, parcel post and (now) mail, from California. For 25 years, I have not failed one year to pollenize date palm trees in South Texas. First at Rio Grande City, then at Brownsville and Lar edo, and since that time from every section of semi-tropic Texas. From Eyte Pass to Beaumont, and from SCi Antonio to Brownsville, and in several of the Mexican states. The date industry, for all of this vast semi-tropic region is now ab solutely assured by these demonstra tions. Tens of thousands of date palm trees have no wbeen planted, fol lowing these demonstrations made firs ton the few date trees I found here in 1905, when I came here to develop the semi-tropic acres of this, that we call the Magic Val ley—now grown in the citrus in dustry alone to a hundred million dollars value. Tens of thousands of these date jalms are to be planted this year. And it will not be long now until a million dollars yearly will come to the Valley from fresh and dehy drated dates, sent out to all parts of the world, direct to the consumer. Fresh ripe dates will keep and ship for some time and long dis tances, before becoming sofe enough for eating. And when dehydrated, will ship and keep indefinitely. So much for the date fruit and its value. But still greater value will ac t crue to the Valley, and all semi tropic Texas, from the remarkable protective value of the date palm tree, to the fully 100,000 acres of citrus fruit trees now planted. And, added still to this, the sur passing charm and tropical beauty of such vast numbers of this fin est of all the palms that will succeed here, is impossible to over-stress. Pollenization Notes The Pistillate date trees are eas ily distinguished; and, as these are the only ones producing, I will de scribe the flowers of the pistillate tree, so that no one need mistake them from the staminate (male) trees, that produce no fruit, but are necessary for their pollen, with out which, artificially applied, there will be only abortive, worthless fruit. I have contributed this data every year, together with instructions how to pollenize the date, for 25 years, to the South Texas press, without charge or hope of reward except the desire to do a full share in bringing the inevitable and wonderful devel opment I knew would come to this semi-tropic southland that I saw clearly would inevitably finally sur pass either Southern California or Florida in magnitude and value of its semi-tropic fruit industries. But such vast numbers of new home-makers and developers are coming each month, that I am de luged with resquests for detailed data impossible to furnish personal ly except by appointment and con solation. The flower pods are opening this s t @ ® @ © I ® © I war Swift’s Premium Hams e ® JVhole ..... Per Pound hln our Market you will find ^ young friers and nice fat hens. J* Finest quality packing house products will always be foimd ? here. 9 weak. The flowerets of the huge cluster emerging from the pod, from this week continuing for a month or more in the case of seedling trees (and this is fortunate, because it so safely extends the certainty of crop from injury, both to bloom and fruit, from weather conditions, are easily distinguished; for each floweret is a tiny rounded berry the size of a small pea, yellowish-white at first but soon turning green. Pol lenating must be done as soon as the pod opens, and while the tiny stigmas on the top of the berries are fresh and in condition to receive each a grain of pollen and convey it down to the ovary that, when so pollenated (and only if pollenate), becomes the rich date fruit. Usually this must be done the sec ond day after the flowerets emerge from the pod. But if there is rain, or cool, wet weather that day, there is little use to pollenize date blooms. And this illustrates the uselessness of a single variety of date tree for our use. For it would often have all its bloom, both staminate and pistillate (or either) destroyed by unfavorable weather. However, as stated, seeding date palms usually bloom for several weeks, much longer than “offset” or “variety” trees, propagated on the female line solelyl. And they also ripe nover a much longer pe riod and are therefore also safer from weather conditions as to fruit maturing. And indeed it should be under stood that any single variety date, propagated from offsets, as has been fallaciously advocated, will be many times more cetarin to fail because of weather conditions, affecting bloom as well as fruit. For there is absolutely not one month, week, or even one day, during either blooming or fruit maturing time, in which there may not be rain, that might affect somewhat the pol lenizing of bloom and final matur ing of fruit. But to these risks, seedlings, with their long season of both bloom and maturity, will be far less susceptible than the special “dry country” var iety, advocated by a certain writer. The staminate tree is also easily distinguished when the flower pod opens (or earlier if one cares to cut open the pod) for examination, will show which sex it is; as the flowerets have only petals and sta mens—no berries . The staminate flowers are ready for use in pollenizing, as soon as the fine ,yellowish-white, dust-like pollen can be seen. The easiest way, then, is to cut off the entire cluster, enclose in a ; paper bag, carry to the pistillate! (fruiting) tree, and shake the pollen over and among the flowers clusters that are then ready. After this is done as completely as practical, it is well to tear the used pollen clus ter into pieces, and fasten a por tion above or among the fruit clus ters, for utilizing pollen grains not yet fallen, or fruit-flowers not yet quite ready, the next day or later. As, on seedlings, the blooming time is fortunately long extended, is necessary to repeat the polleniza tion work at intervals of three or four days as long as new clusters come on the pistillate tree. A supply of pollen should be as sured, by cutting and drying the staminate flower clusters, shaking out and drying the pollen, so that pollen is ready for use when the fruit flowers are ready. Branches below the fruit clusters, usually dead or at least, ripe, and useless to the tree, should be kept cut off, so the clusters can hang free from tangled (tho one branch sometimes is used to support its weight) and so that a fine wire mesh bag may be slipped over the entire bunch, and tied tight around the stem, to protect it from birds and animals, insects dust filth of all sorts and plundering, as it nears maturity . Irrigation Give the fruiting date trees abun dant irrigation, from the time the fruit is the size of peas until fully grown; but none after fully grown. Do not gather the fruit until it is fully mature as is usually done to save it from marauders, insects, dusts, etc., especially if not protect ed by a wire netting bag. When fully ripe, not soft, the huge clus ters are cut and carried to a warm, dry room, where they will begin to soften and become rich, sweet, de licious bags of honey in a few days; and continue to so ripen for weeks, until all have been used up. As A Windbreak But the date palm is even more valuable to the Rio Grande and all the South Texas country, as protec tion for our seven million citrus fruit treets, from wind, sunburn and cold, than for its splendid fruit. No solid obstruction or structure can either break or deflect the wind. That is why Athel fails and the date palm endures as a windbreak. It resists the tearing sweeping gales of both coast-plains, and desert. And after it has grown, then, other, more delicate growths can succeed. It is most efficient in citrus grove protection if interplanted, tree for tree, in the north and south citrus tree rows; one for each citrus, us ing the same number of citrus as if the dates were not there; for in four or five years, their tops are raised clear above the citrus trees, then making for all time the mots perfect protection (by deflecting it) from hard wind, and protecting it also from sunburn and cold—the ele ments that we acknowledge as cut ting citrus results 50 per cent. This protection will double the value of the citrus crop. And as the date trees will produce fruit equal in value to the citrus, the protection of citrus groves by date palms is too logical for the sound-thinking investor to ignore. Double-row (staggered) belts of date palms planted both w^ays, at Child-birth fn/armatioiL BooksYEEE; T\7HEN the Little One ^ W arrives yon can have that moment more free from suffering than you have per haps imagined. An eminent physician, expert in the science of j childbirth, has shown the way. It f was he who first produced the great , remedy, "Mother's Friend.” Mrs. C. J. Hartman, Scranton, Pa., I writes: “With my first two children ! I had a doctor and a nurse and then | they had to use instruments, but » with my last two children I used J “Mother's Friend” and had only a ^ nurse; we hnd no time to get a doc- i tor because I wasn’t very sick—only j about ten or fifteen minutes.” Use “Mother’s Friend” as our mothers and grandmothers did. Don’t wait. Start today. “Mother’s Friend” is sold by all drug stores—everywhere: By all means get the booklet on Things to Know Before Baby Comes. One copy is yours, /res. Writ® for j it NOW. BradSeld Residahr Co., Dipt 11, Atlanta, Si. j t right angles throughout the citrus grove at intervals of about 330 feet, which corresponds to the usual, and best length of irrigation blocks, is the next system of protection. This gives adequate wind protection but of course not the same aggregate date-fruit revenue and not the same protection from sunburn, a sinter planting, tree for tree. Date Palm Beauty No palm that succeeds in the Valley equals the date palm in beauty and grace. The Canary is land or so-called “ornamental” or "false date” is beautiful of foliage, but ungraceful of trunk, that part being swollen and grotesque; and it should be planted only where it can be allowed to assume its natural low, sprawling growth; but never along highway, roads, drives, or chards or in restricted or valuable small grounds. Marketing the Date The truly splendid dehydrated dates we are now getting from the date groves of California and Ari zona, show question that there is no limit as to market for such a prod uct so delicious could go out yearly by parcel post, express, etc., direct ly to consumers. Reducing the cost to the consum er from the extravagant prices of 75 cents to $1 per pound, which these California dates now cots, will increase their consumption a thou sand fold, they are so delicious, and so wholesome and nourishing. The transformation in beauty that will come from the planting of date palms throughout the Valley can be easily forseen and the fame of it also; for the date palm is what is always meant, in classic or ori ental literature when the palm is mentioned; and its beauty so far surpasses that of any of the fan palms or the so-called “ornamen tal” date, that it seems incredible that either of these would be sub stituted or used, where the true date does so well. I am always glad to assist at date pollenizing time, by consultation, advice or other means, in causing as many as possible of the date palms now in the Valley to be pol lenized and so produce their splen did fruit; and this particularly, that more date palms shall be planted until their beautiful presence shall turn this fair land into a truly trop ical landscape as well as produce their splendid fruit and protect our citrus groves. No tree of any sort will grow and give its wonderful beauty and de licious fruit on lands so salty, \ra ter-logged or “seeped,” as date palms. Most surprising and con vincing proofs of this statement are in my possession and available to all who want to help bring this Valley to “its own.” Date trees making good on soil that is 40 per cent pure salt, and on land with seepage water-table 8 inches from the surface; but of course, they do their best there. Hays And Sons Will Build For Plumbing Shop At San Benito (Special to The Herald) SAN BENlTO, March 28.—Bids for the construction of a $15,000 building here for Hays & Sons, plumbers of Brownsville, will be opened April 15, and construction will be started soon after that date, E. H. Hays, manager of the com pany here, announced today. The building is to be located on Stenger street, several blocks from the main business section. The property was purchased several months ago by the company. Plans for the building are being drawn by Robert L. Vogler of Edin burg, and bids will be opened at his office. The building will be 55 by 100 feet, with a solid plate glass front. I twill be of brick, trimmed in stone, with a tile floor, and wrill be one i story. NABS MAN UNDER BED ST. PAUL, Minn.—Mrs. J. C. Johnstone pulled a burglar from under her bed and marched him to the police station. MILE ICE JAM FOUGHT _ Water Backed Up For Miles Inundates Farms In North Dakota BISMARCK. N. D., March 28.— Army engineers in charge of efforts to break the ice gorge in the Mis souri river south of here today es timated 50,000,000 tons of ice are obstructing the flow of water. The jam was estimated to be 20 miles in length. While gauge readings here indi ! cated the high water mark of the | flood season had been passed, down stream the level was higher than at any other time since the gorge formed. Major G. R. Young, in charge of operations, who estimate* the weight of the ice .arranged to make another survey flight over the ice field with a view to determining the most effective methods of con tinuing dynamiting. Wednesday 1,000 pounds of dyna mite was exploded and army offi cials declared operations must be continued. Although the great weight of water pressing rown on the gorge is slowly breaking it up, they said, unless the work is speed- i ed, the flow of water may be block- \ ed for days. Lowlands in this vicinity re- i mained inundated as the level con- i tinned above the 15.2 foot flood • stage. The crest of 18.5 feet was reached Wednesday. -—-i Keeping children well is easy when mother can read the early symptoms of childhood's ills. If little ones are fretful, pale, languid, won’t eat and want to be mothered; when they often get colds and sore throat and seem feverish, depend upon it the bowels are sluggish. You notice unpleasant breath when you kiss them—sure sign of constipation and a sour stomach. Give a little alifornia Fig Syrup to purify the system and see how quickly it restores strength, appe tite and joyous spirits. It acts without pain and gently cleanses the bowels cf constipated Waste which causes feverishness, sours the digestion and keeps the little one sickly and backward. If you suspect measles or some other children’s disease, give a dose cf California Fig Syrup without delay. The doctor will praise your forethought. California Fig Syrup is the finest laxative in the world for children. It suits them per fectly and they love its delicious taste. For a child who is habitual ly constipated there is no other remedy to equal California Fig Sy rup for coaxing the bowels back to healthy regularity. If you have a child who is troublesome in this way try California Fig Syrup. Get a bottle today. All drug stores have it. California Fig Syrup has been trusted by the world's mothers fox over 30 years. That is why the word “California” should be em phasized when buying. INDEPENDENT GROCERS j I MAY NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF | 1 THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BUY AT | § THE SAME RATES AS THE CHAIN | 1 STORE § If Our line of groceries represents about « 70 % of the most important merchandise fi that you handle and we offer them at 1; lower prices than any other wholesale j house in this territory. | You may buy your groceries from us in | smaller quantities and still get the same ■J rates that larger firms get by buying in i larger quantities. I Garcia-Gomez & Co. | s Brownsville, Texas 3 Free Delivery to Any Part of the Valley -. ... — ■ ■' - ■■3 t|a !||| 1-Pound Can (The 5%Op ]|| La Coffee that lets you sleep) .Uvlf ja jL p Folger’s, | p i|| fiala 1-Pound can .U 8 y |g§ . , —It.-r ~*.‘Tk -- ta'■TOtpmgriMBl’ynW «P*?i»mmrilA;l!W3'TW.JtlWltU»MiirgqnaMMI—BPMBS^Wi ^ 1 P P No. 2 Can, I Van Camps, |i|j g in our Sanitary Markets at BROWNSVILLE, SAN BEN- || j|9 K . | ITO and HARLINGEN we offer the following specials | |1 1| | FRIDAY and SATURDAY, MARCH 29 and 30th. 11 pjj | uraanM-*. | H STEW MEAT, per pound.. 15c 11 I I FISH FILET, boneless, per pound.33c j j| Ij BACON, sliced, rindless, per pound.32c 9 I ROAST, Baby Beef, per pound ...22c I 8 I PICNIC HAMS, per pound . .19c | | We Also Carry Dressed Poultry and Fresh Fish H ^aggfflgjgr/gsaftmiiiwinjtrw-btosim———— - _ ___ v