Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-07
WHEAT Of HOLY LAND
FOR ARID WEST
Agricultural Experts Think
Importation of Parent Grain
May Be Profitable.

Agricultural exploration into the orient
is urged by the Department OF Agrlcui-
ture in a bulletin just issued. IL Is
pointed out that the geography and topog-
raphy of Palestine and California are
very similar, and attention is especially
called to the wild wheat there when mas
a wide range and seems to prefer sterile
and arid soil for its development. IL Is
suggested that this furnishes the basis
for valuable cross with some OF the
cultivated wheats of this country.
The report under review deals especially
with the useful plants which should De
introduced into the far west and SOUTH
west from that portion of the orient
known as Palestine Already the Smyrna
fig and Thompsons seedless grape,
among other fruits, Kherson oats ana
hard Russia and Turkey wheats, among
the cereals, have been introduced INTO
the United States and made 1t possible
to extend cultivation to regions hereto
fore untitled, and II is believed that what
has been done in this direction is but a
splendid beginning of most promising
future possibility.
Land Resembles California.
This land closely resembles California,
except as to the extent of area; in fact,
is practically California reduced TO
about one-twentieth in size, but marked
" similar in general topography, climate,
vegetation and agricultural and economic
possibilities Like California, Palestine
is longest from north to south; II, too, mas
very high mountains and very deep de-
preSsionS. Passing from west to east
In either, there is the littoral region along
the coast, the zone of hills and plateaus.
then the long valley in each, Whlie sun
..t,
finally turning into arid or desert lands;
Each, too, has a dry. warm season ana
a humid and more temperate one Pales-
tine is even more favored than California
with regard to winter temperature, Tor
although. as in California, the thermome-
ter rises high in summer, it rarely drops
in the winter to the freezing point. snow
is rare even on the plateaus, and farmers
in almost all parts of the Holy Lana are
safe from any damage by frost.
Curiously enough, the list of fora OF
this small territory of Palestine includes
approximately the same number OF
species as that of California-about 1900.
In both sections evergreen shrubs pre-
dominate. The same forms of vegeta-
ton, often the same genera, are found
on Mount Tamalpais, Cal. and Mount
Carmel, Palestine; the maqufS formation
of Palestine Is to be compared to the
chaparraI and chamiso of California, and
the forms of vegetation of the Lebanon
and the Hermon mountains are much the
same as those of the western slope of the
SierraS. The analogy of the flora of
Palestine with that of California Justi-
fies the expectations of the best results
from their introduction into the last
named state.
Parent of the Wheat.
Among the large number OF wild spe-
cies and varieties found in Palestine is
the wild emmer, from which our cultl-
waited types of wheat and related cereals
seem to have been derived The author
of the paper found large areas on the
slopes of Mount Hermon covered with
this cereal and it was found growing
near an eastern branch OF the Jordan,
$40 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, shall
low dry SOIL and thrives without any
cultivation, 1t is thought possible to pro-
duce new races, which will be very per-
siStent and very hardy, and to extend the
cultivation of wheat TO regions where,
on account OF the low quality of the
soil and the severity of the climate it is
al present impossible to produce it.
The study of this and other wild types
OF our cereals does not confine itself to
a merely botanical and historical end
but becomes intensely practical as an
economic. even social problem, as its ul
innate aim is to produce a little more
bread at a little less expense and to
render this production possible where.
UP to the present time, it has been i'm
possible.