The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-04

BILE by showing that tree foods contain pro
tein and carbon (our two great physical
needs in greater abundance and greater
purity than any other known foods. Some
persons suppose that our race were condemn
ed to the hard necessity of tilling the soil,
because Adam was ''sent forth from the
garden Of Eden to till the ground from
whence he was taken" But this word
''tilr' is the same which is translated dress
in Gen. ., Is. And the Lord God took
the man and put him into the garden Of
Eden to dress it and to keep It. Groves OF
trees for meat'-orchards for 'summe
n.uits-conservatories for the fruits Of the
tropics, would not allow US to be an idle
people; and would require a higher degree
of civilization than we have attained.
Adam was condemned to "eat bread IN the
sweat Of his brow" but not to till the soil
in our present unfortunate fashion. The
world would not only become healthful. but
exceedingly beautiful if Adams and Abels
occupations were generally pursued. Nher-
ever sheep are kept for a long time, the
%softest. shortest and richest grasses cover
the soil like a well kept lawn. The finest
food producing trees are also the finest park
trees. The chestnut, the English and Amerl-
can %walnuts. the pecan, the balotta, the
Swiss and Italian pines, have no superior Tor
grand and massive beauty of form, and deli
cacy of foliage. 1t would require pages to
enumerate all the beautiful food producing
trees of the world.
1t is an interesting and touching fact that
the name of Abel was prefixed to many
plains and meadows where cattle grazed,
thousands of years after his death. Thus
we have mentioned in the Bible Abel
Beth-Maachah, meodow Of the house Of
Maachah 1t is north Of lake Merom Then
come Abel-Carmaln, meddoao OF taneyGrdS,
six miles from Rabbath-Ammon. Then
Abel Meholah, near the Jordan, ten miles
south of Beth-Shean. Then Abel-Mlzralm,
meodov of the Egyptians, in the plain of
Jericho. And Abel-Shittim in the plains of
Moab. A land covered with a coating OF
grass and studded with food producing trees,
would have pure air and abundance of food
for man his focks of wool producing sheep.
And all other cattle, if need be. But Abel
only brought sheep and goats as an offering
to God. 1t was Gains descendants who
first kept cattle. And it was not said of
them, that they were an excellent offering"
The Hebrew word which designates Abers
sheep means small cattle-either sheep or
goats, or both.
Well does the Talmud say of the Hebrew
Scriptures, Turn it and turn it again for
ere,ythmg IS IN It."
In Palestine and many other countries,
grows the balotta oak which bears a sweet
acorn, said to be equal, if not superior to
the chestnut. One of these oaks still grows
near Beersheba, where Abraham planted a
grove" (and the Arabs call it Abraham,s
oak Lesser says he planted AN orchard.
He dwelt for a time in the oak plain OF
Morch," then in the oak plain of Mamre.'
Heber, the Kenite, dwelt in the 'oak plain
Of Zaanaim." These oak plains were pro
badly selected on account of the delicious
balotta acorns, which arc still used in Spain,
Syria and Persia, as a bread-stutf, being
ground into -four, and made into various
kinds Of bread. The cakes which Sarah
baked upon the hearth, were possibly made
of pulverized b~alottas, as the first mention
of the sowing of grain was in ~lsaac's day.
The Greeks say that Ceres son was the first
sower of grain. Nay not Ceres son and
Sarah's son have been one and the same?
I'll. NJ. |.