DASYPROCTA 271 DATHOLITE novelist, born in Stamford, Conn., in 1876, and graduated from Smith College in 1898. She first attained prominence by her novel "The Madness of Philip," published in 1902, in which she com- mented upon some aspects of primary education. Her works include: "The Biography of a Boy" (1910) ; "The In- heritance" (1912); "The Luck o' Lady Joan" (1913); "Today's Daughter" (1914), etc. DASYPROCTA, a genus of mammals, the typical one of the family Dasyproc- tidag, or in some classifications a genus of Cavidse. It contains the agoutis. DASYURE, the b ash-tailed opossums, a genus of marsupial animals, sub-order Sarcophaga. They are natives of Aus- tralia. The name is derived from the tails being hairy, in which they differ from the opossums of America. DATE, any given, fixed, or settled time ; the time when any event happened ; period; era; age; epoch; as, the date of the Christian Era, the date of a historical occurrence, etc. Also, that addition to a writing which specifies the year, month, and day when it was given or executed; the number which marks the time when any writing, instrument, coin, picture, etc., was executed. A deed may be good, though it mentions no date, or has a false date, or even if it has an impossible date, as the 30th of February, provided the real day of its being dated or given, that is delivered, can be proved. See Chron- ology. DATE PALM, a genus of palms, the most important species of which is the common date palm, the palm tree of Scripture (Phoenix dactyUfera) , a native of the N. half of Africa, the S. W. of Asia, and some parts of India. Some parts of China produce large crops. The stem, which is straight and simple, reaches a height of 30 to 60 feet, and bears a head of 40 to 80 glaucous pin- nated leaves, of 8 to 10 feet long, and a number of branching spadices, each of which on the female tree bears 180 to 200 fruits. A bunch of dates weighs 20 or 25 pounds, so that an average year's crop may be reckoned at 300 to 600 pounds per tree. From the earliest times fertilization has been artificially aided by cutting off the male inflorescences just before the stamens ripen, and suspend- ing them among those of the female tree; so avoiding the risks and losses of ordinary wind-fertilization. In a palm grove there may be but one male stem to 40 or 50 fruit-bearing ones. This is one of the most important and useful of all the palms. In Egjrpt, and generally in north Africa, Persia, and Arabia, dates form the principal food, and date palms the principal wealth of the people. The fruit is eaten either fresh or dried, and in the latter state becomes an article of commerce. A sweet juice (date-honey) can be ex- pressod from the fruits, from which a kind of wine is obtained by fermenta- tion; also a sort of vinegar; an ardent spirit is of course also distilled from the fermented juice. Palm-wine is also made from the sap after the terminal bud is removed. The bud is eaten as palm-cabbage, similarly also the unde- veloped panicles of flowers. The date "stones" or seeds are roasted in north Africa as a substitute for coffee, and have also been introduced into Great Britain for the same purpose. They are also ground and pressed for oil and the residue used for feeding cattle. From leaf-stalks of the common date palm, all kinds of basket and wicker work are also made, and walking-sticks, fans, etc. The leaves themselves are made into bags, mats, and other articles ; the fibers of the web-like integuments at the base of their stalks into cordage. The wood is used for buildings, fences, etc. Some derive the origin of the colon- nade pillar in architecture to the regular mode of the planting of the palm tree and the use of its stem in building. The symbol of beauty and of victory alike to Hebrews and Hellenes from the earliest times, it passed readily to the suggestion of victory over death and glorious im- mortality; hence the habit of represent- ing angels and the blessed with palms in their hands. It was largely used also for decoration of festivals, and for strewing in processions. Christ's tri- umphal entry into Jerusalem is still commemorated on Palm Sunday. DATE PLITM, the name given to sev- eral species of Diospyros, a genus of trees of the ebony family. The Euro- pean date plum is the D. lotus, a low- growing tree, native of the S. of Europe, It produces a small fruit, the supposed lotus of the ancients. The American date plum,^ or persimmon (D. virgin- iana), attains a height of 50 or 60 feet; the fruit is nearly round, about an inch in diameter, is very austere, but edible after being frosted. The Chinese date plum {D. kaki) is cultivated for the sake of its fruit, which is about the size of a small apple, and is made into a preserve. DATHOLITE, a monoclinic mineral, of colors, varying from white to olive- green. It is of a vitreous luster, and translucent. Specific gravity, 2.8-3; hardness, 5-5.5. It is found in various localities in North America, Scotland, Sweden, etc. Composition: Silica, 36.08-
