New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-17

per Brothers
Under the somewhat indefinite term of Bible
Lands, the author of this volume includes the dif-
ferent countries referred to in the Scriptures, al
though his descriptions apply more especially to
Palestine and Syria. The work forms an opulent
treasury of information concerning Oriental man
ners and customs depicting social state whose
roots are traced back to the remote traditions of an
dquity, and which have preserved a common unity
by means of similar physical conditions and histor-
ical elements In the composition of his MARIA
tive, DIR. Van-Lennep has made free use OF
the ample researches of recent explorers, as
well as the fruits of personal observation con-
tnued through a period of many years. The
work, however, Is to so great degree the pro-
duet of his own experience, that it is pervaded by
an atmosphere of freshness and vitality which en-
trely removes il from the region Of scholastic DIS
eussion, and almost from that OF didacuc state
ment. 1t has all the vividness of poetica descrip-
ton, though founded on the accurate comparison
Of facts, with no symptom of the indulgence Oh
fancy.
The husbandry of Western Asia is the subject of
On interesting chapter Astounding in familiar details
which present the cultivation of the Orient In as
clear a light as that of Long Island or Orange
County Great use is made of irrigation, especially
IN the vegetable gardens. The soil in the helds Is
rarely MANFRED but the gardens are kept in high
state of productiveness by artificial means IN
addition to irrigation. For this purpose the
manure of the horse, the ass, the sheep, and
the goat is exclusively employed, while that
Of the OK and the camel is dried in the sun
and used as fuel The most common vegetables
are beans eaten in the pod and also dried Peas OF
q large size are cultivated, but used for culinary
purposes only when dry. Beets, turnps carrots and
radshes of a fine quality produced in album
dance The okra is extensively cultivated and the
black eggplant and the tomato are favOritcs.
Squashes and gourds abound. Lettuce, parsley,
mint and other herbs are in constant use. Mustard
grows on the edge of the fields in the Jordan valley
And often attains the hight of tall man. Lentils
are produced in all parts of the country, and are
held in high esteem by the wOTng-classes Tor their
nutritious qualities. Cabhages are in great demand
No garden is complete without It's patch OF onions
And garlic. which are considered among the
accessories of life. They eaten raw as relish,
when green just as Europeans use celery and rad
ehes. When dry, they enter into almost every
dish. Nearly every garden has vine, which is
trained unon some woodwork; set against the wall
of a house. or shades some smooth, grassy spot. The
variety of grapes is very great and each kind Is best
adapted to a special use. The white grape is gen
orally preferred for eating fresh, account of its
superior flavor and the delicacy of the skin. The
people always eat the grapes whole, as the skins and
The seeds are supposed TO render the fruit whole
some by their astringent properties The finest
raisins are made from a small grape containing no
seed.
The vintage is always season both of activity and
and children being hned for the purpose by the wealthy
yards and gather i'll baskets which the men carry
TO the press # by, hut If at some dis ance put
them deep and wicker baskets AMI load them
mules and From tis circumstance arose the
expression often used by Moses in addressing the
elila If Ig-ap hX al
only grapes gathered in baskets both for the vintage
and for the of the family but olives and all manner
OF fruit and garden vegetables are collected III the same
way. , ..o...,.
Is sufficientlv ed the treadug begins. Tie who
engage In This work wash their limbs water kept at
upon the irt and. Selling the suspended ropes begin
tie wine and tue free libations IN which, on these
Gows INFO the trodgi whence It transferred other
vessels VITA dipper The words OF Rev; XIV, 20 are
calculated BY the expression, the blood OF grapes III
The dist iuice which s drawn off from the grapes by
their weight they lie in the press is considered
Ire hest and is usually mixed with fine -four, boiled
down TO thick PASTE then cut into cakes and dried IN
tie sun. 1t sometimes favored with water or
cinnamon. Almonds Or walnuts are also strung ana
dipped in the hot soft paste exactly as candles are
made and when suddenly coated over they are hung
In the 10 dry. But the grape juice is almost exei
uyey employed especially 10y inc Mlsllms VINO are io-
hidden the Of wine by tie Koran IN making dds, as
toe Arabs ca IT, which Is very palatabe sirup 9Dtal9ed
by boiling down the grapeuice. This is not only eaten
with bread, but enters into the CONNECTION OF great
Almost unknown except on inc seapOaru, Ihls slIuP
much used by the ancens II was mixed by them,
now, with milk and other articles OF food. ~.
Wine not 10 extensively manufactured now In West
ern asia it in ancient times since the Christians,
population II is probably for this reason that the
quality is generally inferior The success, however,
of superior quality proves That the grapes have not
deteriorated IA thus respect and the Wines 2l pIucni
districts, such Lebanon Cyprus SanOs IeedOs, ana
the Muscsel OF Smyrna, are &c celebrated rs Ii ancient
In making wine the g1apc!uce is poured into large
vessels or into jars half buried IN the ef III a eo2 It
posed to control the process OF ermentatio and to pre-
vent turning 10 vinegar This seems particularly
necessary with TIE lghier wines VINE IS MOI Seedb
used until after It's fermentation is conpeted III many
s"imaIs chiefly coats which are translated bottles" In
our The manner IN which these bottles are
an opening made che skin large enough 10 introduce
the lips, begins 10 blow between the skin and
the flesh, until the two are completely separated IRON
each other throughout The head and feet are then cut
OIL and the entire body OF the animal Is drawn OUT OF lie
SAN through the opening al the neck The lar IS some
times partially removed and the SKIN tShlled IN
TIE neck used for nlinS and emptying the vessel
while the four tied sewcd up. The grapeJuee
which undergo the process OF iclmentaton Is pui
into skins which are either entirely which have
been carefully examined anu found able TO withstand The
pressure These skin bottles have been used IN the East
from time i;nnemorla, and are stu employed th,91en
ONT The country as lar rs Fersa aIo III Norteln hic"
and even in Siaii-a relic Doubtless o. INC MoOIs'
Next to the vine in utility, if not fully equal to it,
is the olive tree. where there extensive plan
tatons of this tree, belonging. is generally the
case, to number of propretors, no picking Is
allowed nor shaking of the trees, until the time
appointed by the authorities which occurs in
November or December. The public cricr goes forth
and announces the day which the gathering in is
10 commence. Men. women, and children then enter
the olive-yaTds. Some climb into the trees and
shake the bOughs, while others stand below and
beat of the fruit with long, slender poles The poor
are often seen, after the gathering in of the crop
going from tree to tree and collecting the few olives
fl,at may h.Va haeD loft A full crou obtained