making comparative studies of the agricultural, climatic and botanical conditions of our southwestern country, for the purpose of comparing them with present conditions in Palestine, in which studies he has been deeply impressed with the remarkably close agricultural resemblance existing between California and Palestine. Mr. Aronsohn is peculiarly well equipped to establish such an institution in Palestine, having spent fourteen years of his life in agricultural and botanical explorations throughout that region and having made himself familiar with Turkish, Arabic and Hebrew, as well as French, German and English. He is a graduate of the Agricultural School of Grignon, France, and has attracted the attention of the scientific world through his. discovery of the long-sought wild prototype of wheat. His discoveries in Palestine of drought-resistant stocks and dry land grains and forage plants, as well as the possibilities of American breeders utilizing his wild wheat, have led Dr. Galloway, the Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, to request Mr. Aronsohn to prepare a bulletin, which is now in print, giving in some detail the bearing of his studies in Palestine on the many agricultural problems of the United States.
While the special aim of the institution will be to put the Jewish colonists and farmers of Palestine and the neighboring colonies in a position to carry on agriculture in a rational and progressive manner, Mr. Aronsohn's idea is to assemble as complete an equipment of the official agricultural publications of the United States as sible.
As the study of plant pathology is quite unknown in Palestine, Mr. Aronsohn has purchased as a nucleus of pathological work the collection of the late Professor W. A. Kellerman of about 24,000 specimens of fungi, and the Department of Agriculture has offered to supplement this with about a thousand other numbers. To these American numbers Mr. Aronsohn proposes to add his own personal collections of agronomic, botanical and
geological material, and altogether they will prove of invaluable assistance in the comparative studies which he proposes shall be carried on at the station.
The buildings will be of stone and practically fireproof, but to give further guarantee against loss Mr. Aronsohn proposes to install steel shelving for the books and metallic cases for his collections.
It is also Mr. Aronsohn’s purpose to have a visitors’ laboratory, with proper facilities, which will be placed at the disposal of properly accredited visitors from abroad. Those who have taken advantage of the marvellous facilities of the Naples Zoological Station will appreciate how much this means in a country like Palestine, where there are few facilities for seientiie investiration.
It is Mr. Aronsohn’s intention to publish at least the annual reports of his station in English, although naturally his circulars and bulletins containing the practical results will for the most part be published in Hebrew. Turkish and Arabic.
A Water Supply for Jerusalem
The scarcity of rain this winter is causing great anxiety in Jerusalem but on the other hand it is hoped that this deficiency will stimulate the authorities to hasten the solution of the question of the water supply of the city. Several companies are applying for a concession to bring in the water either from Ain Arroub, near Hebron, or from Ain Farah, a few miles to the northeast of the city. The later project has more prospect of success. From there the water has to be pumped up about 1,200 feet, but the supply is considerably greater, especially if another generous spring is also made use of—Ain Fauwar, lower down the same valley, which in its lower course is called Wady Kelt (the Krith of the Bible).