gradually utilized by tree roots and summer plants during the long dry season.
Where in the United States or in Europe could a crop of beans, peas, vegetable-marrow, watermelons or cucumbers be raised absolutely without rain or irrigation? But it is constantly done here. When the fellah wishes to plant a summer crop, he lets his land lie fallow during the rainy season, and when he is reasonably sure the rain is finished (because the best result is obtained without any rain at all), he scratches the ground a few inches deep with his crude plow, such as Abraham might have used, puts in the seed, cultivates occasionally to keep down the weeds, and his crop is insured.
In some localities, as Bethlehem, fine olive groves exist, and on land no better originally than thousands of acres at present Iying waste and to all appearance worthless. There is hardly a rocky hill anywhere in the country that would not offer good facilities for the thriving of these unique and exceedingly profitable trees. But one asks: If this is the case, why are not these hillsides everywhere green with the olive? For the simple reason that such a ruinous system of taxation has existed for so long that not only has the poor peasant been robbed of all ambition to plant, but is only too glad to cut down these venerable trees and sell the wood for fuel, rather than pay a tax that amounts to more than the tree yields him.
The almond is another tree that thrives on rocky soil, and, had Palestine a proper government, so that tree planting would be encouraged, no doubt large almond groves would spring into being, as this favorite nut is always in demand, and not being of a perishable nature, is easily handled and exported.
The fig tree probably adapts itself to rocky places better than any other. These may sometimes be seen growing upside-down from the roof of a cave. All fruits are, at present, of common unimproved varieties. The idea is very deep-rooted among the natives that any endeavor to improve on the methods of their forefathers would be the greatest arrogance. And for this reason everything has retrograded rather than improved. "Abraham did it this way—God forbid that we should be better than our father Abraham." However, when the grafting of better varieties is practiced the results are most satisfactory.
The matter of rainfall of this country is of especial interest, because during the past sixty years that the record has been kept at Jerusalem by the Palestine Exploration Fund, there has been a steady increase up to the present time from a yearly average of twenty-two inches to twenty-eight inches. The rain generally falls during the six months from November to April. The remaining six months are rainless. There are the "former rains" and the "latter rains." The "former rains" are very heavy and with storms, and come during December, January, and February. The "latter rains" are of a more showery character and are necessary to mature the crops which have started with the "former rains." The natives begin plowing as soon as the first rains have sufficiently moistened the soil.
What would strike the western reader as rather out of the ordinary is that the grape crop, which is prob ably the most abundant of all the fruits and which in cludes numerous delicious varieties, is matured en tirely without rain or irrigation; in fact, the leaves do not appear before the dry season has set in. What is true of the grapes may also be said of all the summer fruits, including watermelons.
All this goes to show the peculiar property of soil and rock combination which to a great measure so stores up this ample rainfall that it may be utilized by plants during the summer.
Lucerne, grown without irrigation in the valleys, produces three crops a year, and does not suffer seriously, if at all, in living through the long dry season, as the roots penetrate the crevices of the underlying rocks and find moisture. One year it fell beneath the writer's notice that the dry season lasted eight months, that is, this time elapsed before sufficient rain fell to moisten the ground to a depth.of three inches, but this hardy plant was not in the least injured.
Palestine is essentially an agricultural country, as it has absolutely no other resources, and in past times supported a large population. But it should be understood that to restore it to its former prosperity would require considerable capital and a radical reform of government.
Though the Israelites came out of the very productive land of Egypt, their destination was described as a land flowing with milk and honey. This statement is most interesting in the light of facts concerning the production of honey here. It is well known to botanists that Palestine is the meeting-place of the flora of three different continents, and this circumstance combined with the varied altitudes produces a condition most favorable to bee culture.
Some years ago two brothers living in Jaffa went into the apiary business. They conceived the idea of furnishing the bees with material for honey-making throughout eight months of the year by camping first at a low altitude and when the flowers of that locality were finished, moving the hives on camel back to a higher place, thus following up the consecutive blossoming of different wild flowers. They first let them work on the orange blossoms around Jaffa, and this fragrant honey was kept separate as was that obtained from each succeeding flower which pervaded any particular district. Thus, they were able to label their honev “Orange Blossom,” “Thyme,” etc.
The data furnished by these gentlemen show a yield exceeding that yet known in any other country. By using modern American extracting machinery and replacing the combs, one hundred hives produced six tons of honey during eight months. That is 120 pounds to the hive. The average yield in Australia and America is thirty pounds to each hive and the maximum fifty. From these facts it is clear that this unique land is possessed of great natural advantages over other lands, not only in ordinary agricultural possibilities, but in this interesting matter of producing honey.