Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-31
PALESTINE VINEYARDS,
JeWfsh C0lonists Revive an Ancient
Industry of the Holy Land.

N1~ '~'i'N'H
The account of the trade of Palestine
during last year, given in the consular
report just issued, is fairly hopeful though
neither the exports nor the imports reach
the level attained in 1850 The prosperity
of the country depends still, as it always
has done, and most probably always will
do, upon the fruits of the earth Cen
turtles before the present era corn and wine
ana oil were among the chief boons of the
promised land ana though we hear lit
tie now or the first, the other two are re-
gaining their ancient reputation. To mel
ons, which also were valued in ancient
days, new fruit has been added-the
orange This, indeed, and the grape, are
now the most important products of Pales-
tine, though the exports of the former have
declined considerably in value during the
last Few years Jaffa oranges, however,
maintain their reputation, so that it may
be hoped that the depression is only tenn.
porary. Southern Palestine has always
been noted for it's vineyards: it was Judah
VINO bound his foal to the vine ard washed
his clothes in the blood of the grapes"
OF the principal Jewish colonies in the
Jaffa district Richon-le-Sion, Petach-Tib
vas and Ekron, on the supposed site of tho
Philistine city, which last received the
fatal trophy of the Ark, the first is the
chief one for grape growing. A fourth
colony, Sarona, also near Jaffa, is German.
In all these agriculture and especially
everything connected with wine making, Isl
conducted on scientific principles, and the
first and last have become really important
centerS in the trade. Richon-le-Sion has
excellent works and machinery for the
manufacture of wine, and great under
ground cellars for its storage. These last
year contained about 100000 gallons. in
addition to considerable quantity which
is always kept in depot at Hamburg Two
kinds are specially in demand-a red wine
like dry claret, and a dry white wine,
rather of the nature of sauterne. The Ger
mans of Sarona make wines of good
quality, though in less abundance. They
beStow characteristic care on the processes
and turn out a large number of varieties
red and white muscat. a red wine like
affenthaler, red alicante and two other
white Wines-reisling and sarona. All, we
are told compare favorably with the COM
mon French and Italian wines, and are
beginning to find their way to Europe,
probably appearing in wine lists under
French, or, OCCASIONALLY, German names.
There is an excellent prospect, there
fore that the vineyards of Palestine may
once more be of note, as in the olden days.
Many parts of the land seem to be natur-
ally adapted to grape growing, although
the industry has for long been neglected,
partly, perhaps, because the Koran frowns
upon the vine. One traveller speaks of q
vine near Acre, the branches of which
formed a shelter more than 30 feet broad
and long, and bore punches weighing 10 or
II pounds. The late Dean Stanley de-
scribes, as one popularity of Judea, the
dbuiludHCe VI Tie NlHeydTuS, WIFI
their watch towers and wall, just they
were for centuries before the fall of Jeru-
salem But in those days the culture of the
vine was far more general than now: it ex-
tended south of the boundary of Judeh into
the region possessed by Simeon, and the
late Prof. Palmer tells us how he saw even
in the arid Negeb, or south country, the
signs Of former vineyards. The revival Of
the ancient industry in this and other fruits
is largely due to the Jewish colonies which
have been planted by the liberality of their
wealthy co-religionists, and the success Of
their efforts at once to help their own peo-
pie and to make Palestine again a land to
be desired is a matter for hearty CON-
graduation.