Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-12-31

and easily casting their petals, after
a strong wind they cover the ground
as with drift of snow. The wood
of the olive is of a light reddish
hue, irregularly grained, and is much
used for ornamental carvings. In
the place of raisins, a few olives
with thin slices of bread often form
the meal of the laborer in Palestine.
By a curious custom that has exist
ed for many centuries, oliye-tfees
are often held as property separate
from the field where they stand, and
single inelosnre frequently con-
tains trees belonging to different
persons.
The fig is q native of the country,
growing spontaneously from seeds
and shoots, but, as with the olive,
its fruit is worthless until grated.
1t is generally planted in a faForite
spot in the garden, and often in cir
cles, so that its branches, starting
close toIhe ground, form apleas-
ant shaded bower. Its leaves are
the largest that grow in Western
Asia, and are sometimes made into
frail baskets, their edges being PIN
ned together with thorns and slen-
der twigs. The trees blossom in
March and the earliest fruit Tipens
in July. Figs that are dried for
transportation are first dipped in sea
water, which causes the emulation
upon their surface that makes them
look as though they had teen pack
in powdered sugar.
The pomegranate is another much
valued tree in all the LeVant, and is
priced much for its beauty and its
fruit. 1t is cultivated in gardens
and likewise extensive orchards
The almond, is, of all trees. the ear
liest in blossom, its white flowers hid
ing the leafess boughs in a lovely
drapery of white. Besides these we
have mentioned, the trees W hose fruit
is carefully treasured for food IN
clude the walnut, filbert, carob, and
sycamore, the apple, pear, ounce,
apricot, lime, plum, orange, cherry,
banana and mulberry. The date
palm ripens its fruit only in the
South and on the seaboard of Pales-
tine. The prickly pear forms a
characteristic feature of the land
scape in alluvial lands near the sea,
and its fruit, though nsipid, is by
no means despised. The ounces Of
Asia Minor are so sweet as to be
eaten raw, while the nuscatel apple
of Amasia in Pontus, is unsurpassed
in flavor by any fruit Of the kind
elsewhere.
Among the forest-trees still found
in Western Asia are the cedar, fir,
and pine. The first named is CON
fined TO two or three localities north
of Tripoli, on the Syrian Coast, stu
ated at an elevation of 6,40O feet
above the sea. The oak is, with the
terebinth, the cypress and pine, one
of the trees most often seen IN the
burial-grounds of towns and vii
lagos, or of isolated tribes of Be
douins. There are many aged and
solitary specimens carefully cherish
ed in, fields and by the roadside
on account of their grateful shelter.
Trees of every sort that possess an
tiquity, and in the process of their
years have extended their branches
afar with their cooling shade, are
held sacred by the most lawless. The
soil under them is trodden hard by
the feet of many generations, and
not seldom wsllencircles the entire
area.
Conspicuous among the Towering
shrubs of Palestine is the oleander,
which fringes the streams with a
border of bright. green foliage, gay
IN the season of blosseming with
large, deep pink flowers. The lilac,
the acacias, the tree-strawberry, the
peacock tree, the silk tree, and the
pride of India" !" are other common
ornamental shrubs in wild and eulti-
waited grounds.
The Oszental does not often set
apart iplot of ground for the eul-
ture of flowers. yet he is extremely
fond of certain species, and wears
them habitually Is his turban. The
rose and the carnafiea are the flow
ers of his choice, yet ether frequent
blossoms, like the jasamine. .thetube-
rose, hyaeinth, lilac and violet, are
pnime favorites. Sprigs of aEonatic
plants and the downy golden balls
of an acacia are also carried about
the person, or scattered among lin
en- and .ather clothing.
The wild rose grows iuxuriantly
all over Western Asia, starring the
hedges and fhickets with its lovely
blossoms, While the tulip, the many
colored anemoEe, the hyacinth and
the narcissus gem the fields and val
leys, giving them a glow and
warmth of emerald Eelvet set with
precious jewels. Atshough many
portions of Palestine have become
desolate from neglect, the,seil is shll
wonderfully fertile, and With ,lrriga-
ton and proper culture, woBld yield
as heavy crops of varied vzaNahAe
sorts as are harvested in any part of
the globe. Even in its degradation,
the land, as the Scripture describes
it, is flowing with milk aud honey.