Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-08-30
Orient Offers
CROPS To WEST
Palestine Home OF Much
That Is Ncedful
Say Scientist


lctln recently issu d by the Depart.
mcnt of Agriculture says the Orient
still remains almost unexplored and
unknown as to its agricultural trel.
sures, and economic exploration rath.
or than scholarly research is needed
to make that land known and its va.
lue appreciated. and to secure for the
United States most useful agricultural
introduciiuns. There arc to be found
some of the best cultivated varieties.
developed by the combined efforts of
man and nature for thousands Of
years: and there. also. are almost all
OF the wild types which our prehis-
toric ancestors utilized in producing
the cultivated crops of our time.
The report under review deals es.
pecially with the useful plants which
should be introduced into the far West
and Southwest from that portion of
the Orient known as Palestine Al.
ready the Smyrna fix and Thompson's
seedlcss grape, among other fruits,
Ehorson oats and hard Russia and
Turkey wheats, among cereals. have
been introduced into the United States
and made II possible to extend cultiva.
ton to regions heretofore untitled,
and II is believed that what has been
done | nthis direction Is but splen.
did beginning of most promising
future possibility.
This land closely resembles Califor.
mia except as to the extent of area;
| In fact, Is practically n California re-
duced to about one twentieth in size,
but markedly similar in general topo.
graphy. climate. vegetation, and agrl-
+ cultural and economic possibilities.
Like California, Palestine is longest
from north to south; it, too, has very
I high mountains, and very deep dc.
prcssions. Passing from west to east
I In either, there Is the lattoral region
along the coast, the zone of hills and
plateaus, then the long valley In each,
while still farther east are fertile pla.
tcaus. finally turning into arid or de-
scrl lands. Each, too, has dry warm
season. and IA humid and more temper.
ate one. Palestine Is even more fav.
orcd than California with regard to
winter temperature, for although as in
California, the thermometer rises high
In summer II rarely drops in the wind.
or to the freezing point. Snow Is
rare even ON the plateaus and farm.
crs in almost all parts OF the Holy
Land are safe from any damage by
frost. -
Curiously enough, the list of fora
of this small territory of Palestine in.
cludcs approximately the same mum.
Der of species as that of California
about 5000. In both sections ever.
green shrubs predominant. The same
forms Of vegetation, often the same
genera. are found on Mount Tamal.
pals, California, and Mount Carmel,
Palestine; the maquls formation of
Palestine Is to be compared to the
chaparral and chamiso of California;
and the forms Of vegetation of the
Lebanon and the Ilermon mountains
are much the same rs those Of the
analogy of the fora of Palestine with
that Of California justifies the eXpec.
tations of the best results from their
introduction into the last named state.
! Among the large number OF wild
species aud varieties found in Palcs.
tine Is the wild emmer. from which
our cultivated types of wheat and re,
lated cereals seem to have been de.
rived. The author of the paper found
large areas on the slopes Of Mount
Hermon covered with this cereal aud
Il was found growing near an eastern
/ branch of the Jordan. 500 feet below
sea level and upon the slopes of the
mountain, $500 feet above sea level
or in the zone of alpine plants. BY
selection and crossing OF this wild
cereal which prefers, poor, rocky,
shallow, dry soil, and thrives with
ont any cultivation, Il Is thought pos
sible to produce new races which will
| be very hardy, and to extend the cul.
tlyatlon of wheat TO regions where. on
account of the low quality of the soil
and the severity of Jhc climate, It Is
/ at present impossible to produce H.
The study of this and other wild
I types of our cereals does not conane
itself to a merely botanical and his.
/ torlcal end, but becomes intensely
/ practical ms an economic even social
I problem, as It's ultimate aim Is ~
produce little more bread at a it,
tie less expense, ana to render this
production possible where, up to the
present time, II has been impossible.
- -
A shorlffs posse I'm Arlznna rIddIed