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Over-ripe dates are like that. Ripe dates of certain varieties are crisp and crunchy. We are in the start of the harvest right now and, yes, there are dates of a million (well, there are over 600 actually) varieties all over the place. Amazing fruit. Even the dogs like them.  But as far as I am aware, no one sprays dates for insects, and the crop depends on people having the time to do the tedious chore of climbing each tree to pollinate, prune, and check for pests.  Probably the Iraqi's, for some odd reason, didn't have the time and/or manpower to do the job properly.  

I hate walking in them too.

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
www.alsorat.com

"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for"  Louis L'Amour

On Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004, at 20:47 Africa/Cairo, Mary Ann Spencer wrote:

> In 2003 when we went into Iraq, I was looking forward to some GREAT dates as they are one of my favorite fruits.? HOWEVER, the date palms grow all over the place-sidewalks, streets, yards, etc...
> ?
> well, the date crop was poor due to no insect spraying but besides that there were dates all over the walkways.??
> ?
> We all wore our combat boots and they have big creases for traction, etc.? Well, stepping on the dates was like stepping in dogsh*t.?? It was squishy and stuck like glue but at least it did not STINK.? Was a bugger to get out and a pain to clean off the floors.? Got better at dodging them as time went on.
> ?
> ????????????????????????????????????????????? Mary Ann