‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎52v] (18/120)

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ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. POLITICAL
APPENDIX B TO PA11T I.
A resume of what has been done in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. as regards the introduction of the Arabian
date-palm in India, by Khan Bahadur A. U. Hakim, Assistant to Political Resi-
dent, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
The Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Oudh, in his letter No. 4020, dated 18th
September 1868, Lucknow, wrote to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. soliciting 1 a:-sistance in pro-
curino- from the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , through the Resident there, a quantity of all varieties of the
date-palm seeds, especially the El-Hasa dates described by Mr. Palgrave in i.is 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. 2635, dated 1st October 1868, with a request to meet the wishes of
the Chief Commissioner in Oudh. Accordingly Colonel Pelly, having procured the following
nine varieties of date seeds,— m '*., Sisi, Khanizi, Zynadhini, Kasp, Kakab from Dashti, and
Khedrowi, Gantar, Sameran, and Hallowi from El-Busra,—despatched them to India, advising
the Bombay Government, as per his letter No. 141, dated 31st December 1868, of his having
done so, 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 1869, Lucknow, the Secretary to the 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 The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , as per Government Resolution No. 1785, dated 3rd June 1869, requesting him
to take the necessary steps to effect a compliance with the request of the Chief Commissioner
of Oudh.
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
a 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 you 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
wrote, 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 to Bombay packed up in a box, together with two bags 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, Shahuni, Kayedi, Sisi, Rash, Kharek-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 with
date-grass, a useless shrub, and that he was anxious to try whether this date-grass could not
be replaced by the edible Arabian date, &c., &c., and further requesting to be furnished with
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 and Coorg Forests to introduce the date-palm into the Mysore
country, and asked what number of male and female plants would be required. In leply the
Conservator wrote, as per his letter No. 1216, dated 7th January 1871, that 20 male and 40
female plants would be sufficient for the experiment.