Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-11-10
Olive Culture In Palestine.

The olive has become inseparably con-
nected with one of the earliest records of
the human race. and repeated references
are made in the Scriptures to its beauty.
It probably needs an educated eye to APP
preciate the effect of its silverlike leaf but
it must be refreshing to ride through one
of these groves when clothed with flowers,
or when bowed down with fat and oily
berries. Of all fruit-bearing trees the
olive is the most prodigal of its flowers.
but not one in a hundred comes to matur-
ity. The tree is of slow growth, and, ex-
cept under peculiarly favorable circum-
stances, it bears no berries until the sew
enth year; nor is the crop worth much I'M
til the tree is ten or fifteen years old,
when it is extremely profitable, and con-
tinues to yield fruit to extreme old age.
There is little labor or care Of any kind
required, and, it long neglected, it will re-
vive when the ground is dug or plowed,
and begin afresh to yield as before. Vine
yards forsaken die out almost Immediate
ly, and mulberry orchards neglected run
rapidly to ruin, but not so the olive. If
the olive bore every year its value would
be incalculable; even with this deduction,
it is the most valuable species Of property
in the country. Large trees, in 4 good
season, will yield from ten to fifteen gal
Ions Of oil, and an acre of them gives n
crop worth at least one hundred dollars.
The fruit is indispensable for the comfort
and even the existence of the mass Of the
community. The berry, picked. forms
the general relish for the farmers dry
bread When he goes to the fields at early
dawn, or sets out on 4 journey, he has no
other provision than olives wrapped up in
| 4 quantity of paper-like leaves, and with
this he is contented. Early in autumn the
berries begin TO drop off themselves or are
shaken off by the wind. They are allow
ed to remain under the trees for some
time, guarded by a Waterman of the town.
Then proclamation is made by the gov
ernor that all who have trees should 60
out and pick what has fallen. Previous
to this not even the owners are allowed to
gather olives in the groves. The procla-
nation is repeated once or twice. accord
inc to the season. In November comes
the final summons, when no olives are
safe unless the owner looks after them for
the.watchmen are removed and the ORCH
ards become alive with men, women, and
children. The shaking Of the olive which
is always accompanied with much noise
and merriment. is the severest operation
Of Syrian husbandry, particularly in the
mountainous regions. The rainy season
has already set in, the trees are dripping
with the last shower, or bowling under a
load of snow, and the shakers below be-
come drenched with IN artificial storm OF
rain, snow and olives. The groves are in
common, although this tree belongs tC
Zaid, and that to Abeid. and SO on through
the whole plantation. and among these
many owners at shaking time" every
one must look sharply after his own, or he
loses all. There is an utter confounding
of the naeunl and tuum in the general con
science Of olive gathercrs. In different
parts of the country there exist the re-
mains of ancient oil mills and presses in a
state Of more or less preservation. These
consist of two upright posts with trans
verse stone upon the top. The posts have
L deep groove in the inner face, running
from top to bottom. In this groove
moved the plank on the top of the olive
" cheeses.' forced down by a beam
rs lever. acting against tho
huge stone which lies on the top o.
these columns. There is Il stone trough
into which the oil ran. and close by ar,
two immense basins, in which the olives
were ground to pulp by the stone whee
IIlal wis TOIItl ONcl lllcll llt>C
NAV have likewise served to tread the oil
ives with the feet, Il process not now IL
use, but which was the ordinary custom in
those days.
The orchards around Jafii and Sidon
are said to be remuncrativc investments
The biarch, or watered garden, which
costs one hundred thousand piaStres, will
produce annually fifteen thousand; bu
:, five thousand Of this must be expended in
irrigation, blowing. planting and manur-
ing. This allows the proprietor ten thou
sand piastre>. which is 4 very fair percent
age on capital invested i'll agricultural pur-
suits. The fruits of Jatfi are the same a,
those of Sidon. but with ccr;ain vart-
tionS in their character. The oranges oil
Sidon are more Juicy and of 4 richer flavor
than those of Jat1;,: but the latter hang or
the trees much later and will bear to be
shipped to distant regions. In March and
Aprit these gardens are enchanting. The
air is overloaded with the mingled spccry
Of orange, lemon, apple, apricot, ounce,
: plum and chura trees in blossom. The
mats beneath their grateful shade, sip cot
fee. smoke the angela. sing. converse, OF
sleep till evening. when they slowly re-
turn to their homes in the city. To the
restless inhabitants of the West this mode
of enjoyment soon wearies by its monot.
onv, but it is Elv>um to the Arabs.
The result of two Years residence. Mr.
Farley thus records his experiences. He
SAYS: Truly SYRIA is we'll worthy to be
the home of civilization, posses iny. rs she
does. land fertile even under complete
abandonment, fields producing Spontane-
ou>lv. cereals for food. and silk and cot
ton for clothing: timber OF every dc>crip-
ton and of the best quality. from the ce-
dar to the oak. from the plane to the pine
and which may, be had for the telling
while svcamoTc> of enormous size spread
their branches wide enough to cover Il
whole caravan with their grateful shade.
Here are valleys rich and luXuriant,
groves of citron and olive, and apple trees
of the finest sorts Whatever in the vege-
table kingdom is useful is here found in
the natural enforced produce of the soil.
spread out in rich and prodigal alum
dance Here are gardens where the rose,
the orange flowers. the jasmine, mingle
their perfumes into one delicious odor, al
most too powerful for the senses. Ave-
nues of fig trees shade the roads, grOwthS
of oleanderS follow the course of the riv-
ers. red-tlowered grass blends its hues
with 4 thousand gay flowers that enamel
the meadows; above is the blue vault of
heaven, and between streatches The ocean
of clear pellucd atmosphere. The lowell
ness of this favored region has deserved
the praise of Oriental pocts-in the poetry
Of the Turks it has been called the odor
of PARADISE; in that of the Hebrews, \
garden planted by God for the first man.
II r Y in 1r1rf1C1pCx' (HrOOJr/S