Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-18
OLD WAYS STILL
OBTAIN IN JUDEA
ANCIENT TlLLAGE METHODS
PREVAIL IN PALESTINE
OPPORTUNITY GREAT FOR AMER
lcAN FARM IMPLEMENTS
Consul T. r. Wallace of Jerusalem
Discusses Conditions and Dwells
Upon Many Needs of the
Holy Land

a L
Thomas r. Wallace of Jerusalem has
received American inquiries relative TO
present agricultural methods in Pales-
tine and the prospects for introducing
American farm implements for tilllng
the fields of that historic land, to Whlch
he replies:
The larger part of Palestine is noun
famous and much of it a barren waste.
The land farmed is thick with stones,
and the soil very shallow in places so
that the bed rock protrudes, making II
difficult, if not impossible, to use agrl-
cultural implements common IN the
United States. Such implements nave
been tried here by Americans and given
up as unsuitable for the land. Inc
grain grown on the hilly lands is
usually quite short, and because of the
stony condition of the land 1t would be
difficult to harvest by machinery.
There is another tract or district, dis
tinct from the hill country, bordering
on the sea and extending to the foot
hills of Judea, most of which Is rlch
and fertile, and seems to De wen
adapted to the use of all kinds OF ag-
ricultural implements and machinery.
Efforts have been made to induce the
peasants of the district to use such
implements, but so far without sue
cess. The failure may be ascribed TO
the lack of proper instructions or to
inexperience, and in some cases also
to the lack of care and Indifference as
to the implement used
Clogging of PIows
Plows may be seen with a large part
of the moldboard rough, partly covered
with rust, and in a condition render
ing it impossible to do good work. No et-
fort is made by the farmer to turn
over the land in smooth burrows; there
fore. the surface of the plow not be-
ing kept clean, dirt adheres to the
moldboard, so that the work thus done
by a steel plow would be no better
than of the native implement anu
would be much harder on the team. IL
NAV he that the character of the soil
has much to do with these conditions. A
cutting grit or adhesive soil, as hard
pan dobe, may require plow adapted
to it, which could only be determined
by the practical knowledge ana eX-
perience of one competent to judge
after an examination of the conditions
as presented.
Harvesting machines, as well as
many other kinds of farm implements
could be operated in the plains with
ont difficulty. The obstacles at present
in the way of sales of all classes OF
farm implements and machinery are
the cheapness of labor and the COM
munity system of farming as con-
Quoted on the plains. The country IN
habitants have no other industry than
the labor of the farm and garden to
employ their time, and so their work
can be accomplished without difficulty
or loss by the primitive methods in
use. From this it would appear that
labor-saving devices are not needed,
as the supply of labor always exceeds
the demand
The poverty of the people is another
serious obstacle in the way of sales OF
all classes of commodities. This is
true of most of those engaged in farm
ing as a business. A few land own
ers might be interested, especially
those who are farmers themselves;
but there are very few in this district
SO engaged.
Primitive Methods Obtain
The land is rented and farmed in
primitive way, which is Improbable to
both landlord and tenant alike, as
compared with what might be accom-
plished under a more advanced system.
The lands are rented for one-third OF
the crop produced After the harvest
the grain is Immediately thrashed. The
tithes or government tax is first taken,
which is one-tenth of the whole crop,
and then the remainder is divided, the
The farmer has generally pledged
good portion of the expected crop, vir-
tually selling it at a greatly reduced
price for the purpose of securing money
in advance for his necessities. IL grain
is 81 a bushel, on an advance to him
of $100 he will agree to deliver to the
party who advances the money, 13O or
140 bushels of grain after the harvest.
Should the crop fail it is carried over
to the next year, but under new con-
tract in which 80 per cent Is added to
the original amount.
The farmer classes have no realizing
sense Of the injustice done them in
matters of business. They are thus
kept destitute and poor, and can hardly
provide themselves with the common
necessities of life. The tools and inn
plements used by them are little differ
ent from those used by the patriarchs,
The native farmers of the plains
live in villages and under COM
munal system calculated to destroy
every incentive for the Improvement of
the land. 1t is apportioned by lot every
three years, and each person is free to
do as he pleases with his portion. In
some of the communities each villager
or family owns a portion of the farm
lands. The original farm is subdivided
among the survivors in each succeed
ing generation until eventually it is in
very small patches.
There are a number of colonies es-
tablished on the plains by the Jews
and Germans. They are engaged in
agriculture and are far in advance of
the natives in methods of cultivation.
Still, these people use out Of date farm
implements, and are not provided with
farm machinery to any extent. They
are also very conservative, and would
require considerable persuasian or other
inducement to influence them to change
from their present methods.
East of Jordan
The conditions outlined are those oe
southern Palestine. In the northern
parts and in much of Syria it is diff
ferent The country as a whole, north
ward, is more fertile, and the people
are in better financial circumstances,
and to some extent they use improved
farm machinery and implements.
East of the Jordan is a vast region
said to have a rich and productive soil
and its inhabitants are beginning to
manifest interest in securing improved
machinery and implements for farm
purposes. A railroad has recently been
constructed through this section, CIV
ing improved transportation facilities
and some of the people are awakening
to the possibility of improved cond
tions with the adoption of better meth
ods than the old They are better able
to make purchases than the poor peas
ants of the Judean hills. AT pres snt
there is no demand in either of the dis
tricts which would justify expectations
of large sales. An enthusiast, viewing
the conditions as presented, and es-
,aofaIlV from an American pOint nf