Butte record., 1854-09-09
THE AGRICULTURE or PALEs

Ia no part Of the civilized world.
where productive soil abounls, is the
condition of agriculture al a lower ebb
Tran in the cou try about Jerusalem.
The city is l,rg y inhabited By Jews,
many Of whom are pensioners Of their
brethren in al the rest OF the world
They are miserable poor, indolent, and
without employment The country
round a5outisia p1ssassioa Of the Arabs.
who nate the Ca-istiaas much and the
jews more The Arabs are the worst
farmers in the world. Their implements
of .usbandry are 50 rude AMI primitive
that a Sample OF them would surprise
even a cotton planter Of S nth Carolina.
lis supposed By many thtt The lands
Of Palestine are generally Of the poorest
character, for the purpose Of the hus-
banlman. Noting could be further
from the truth. The bountry posss ssses
a great diversity Of climate, owing 10 the
rariation in elevation. The Noiley Of
the Jordon, at the elevation Of the Dead
Sea, is 1912 feet below the McdsteTane-
an, while the mountain Of the Lebanon
rises above the line Of perpetual snow,
which IS ut 1900 feet above the SEA, so
that here IS eternal winter, while the
Valley OF the Jordan IS 4 perpetual
tropical climate, and between these va
riations Of altitude are all the varieties
of produciiona Of the temperate zones
The soil is generally calcareous, light
coiored loan, in the interior, particular
ly near Jerusalem, and near the sea
shore il is dark red loan, and on the
plains Of Sharon very productive, picll-
ing three crops a year of sach things as
viii ripen in that space. The soil pro-
duces good wheat, corn, oats, potatoes,
&c, about equal to the average crop of
Connecticut Cotton hes been pro-
duced here in quality and product per
acree, equal to the best upland plauta-
tions in tas country.
Fruit Of various kinds grow to great
perfection. The grapes in particular
ale very superior, v rhiie peaches, pome-
grs mates, apr.cos, pluns. olives, fgs,
orap res and melons very abundant.
Although, the Climate and soil, and
the productions, make It most desiga-
bic country for residence. The rich
lands near Jafa caa be bought for
SUN equal to about six or eight dollars
dollars an English acre
10 i'll this there Is a draw back,
which has heretofore Diet rred settlers
from seeking home there, who knows
how 10 appreciate and cultivate such
soil, and make tn9 productions prof u
bic, and homes in such 4 climate b auti-
full The country Is in the possession Of
the Arabs, who IN point of civilization
are but Il slight remove above above the
wild Indians, of this Continent.
From time to time missionary efforts
have been made in Palestine, both by
English and Americans, with one uni
yersal degree of success-,hat was to
make no converts, but embittcr the big
OTIS against those who were trying to
tell them OF better religion than their
own.
Two years ago, an effort was made in
a new line to ameliorato the condition
Of the inhabitants Of Palestine. Seven
Americans with improved plows and
other tools, and American seeds, loca-
ted upon u piece Of land seuen miles
from Jerusalem, and one mile from
Bethlehem, and made preparations for
farming on the American system.
Their location was in the Valley of
Artos, upon the very site Of one Of the
gardens Of Solomon.
Their friends in the city we're much
opposed to their going out there to re-
side, urging them, ii they were deter
mined to try to cultivate the soil, to
keep their residence in the city, for fear
oi the Arabs, This did not suit their
plans, and tlhy took up their residence
upon the land and commenced opera
tions, plowing deep with one Of our best
plows, narrowing with an iron-toothed
harrow, such as was never seen there
before, and planting corn, potatoes,
beans, peas, oats, barley, wheat. and all
sorts of vegetables IN short, making a
perfect American farm.
The operations, instead of exciting
the jealousy of the Arabs, aroused them
to state of surprise, and the news of
what the Americans at Solomen's gar