The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-08

those which have been cleared Of
stones They are often not bigger
than bed quilts and seldom contain
more than three or four acres Sucl,
fields frequently have stone walls about
them. Down in the valleys and on
the rlains OF the Philistincs the farms
are not separated by fences and they
are of much greater extent They
are planted to wheat, beans and barley
and grow luXuriant crops. One Of the
interesting scenes of the wheat fields
is often referred to in the Bible. This
is pulling tho tares, the seeds of which
IL left, Will make the flour bitter Gangs
OF girls arc engaged In this business
all over Palestine. Each gang works
under an overscef. and the girls bend
hair double rs they pull the weeds from
the wheat I am told that enemies
sometimes SOW tares In tho wheat MS
- described in the parable of the
Jesus. ~
Speaking of wheat, ii is said that
Palestine is one OF the places In which
that grain originated There Is Wild
wheat here to-day, and the agricultural
experts are investigating what can be
done with other wild grains which are
round III different parts of this coun-
try.
How They Flow.
about the same now as those used In
the Days of the Bible. They arc rough
affatrs, made of wood tipped with iron
(Which oxen and hullooks arc yoked
with rough piece of wood fastened
to tho nccks OF the animals. Some
times the yoke hangs at an angle OF
forty-fivc degrees, reaching from tho
neck OF n camel to that Of s. donkey
ponkeys and cows are also harncssed
md l,,ttta
The share of the plow ends in a point
like that of IL pickaxe. 1t scratches
tho soil. and nowhere goes very deep.
Tho burrows are narrow. and many
plows are required for large fields.
The plowmen wear long gowns and
on their heads arc cloths bound round
with rope. They wear rough shoes or
go barefoot.
Much OF the land In the mountainous
parts is so rough that plows arc not
used. The soil is dug up with mat
tocN or hoo and all tho crops arc Gull
tivated ny hand. Nevertheless, the soil
is so rich that 1t will often produce
several crops in one year. It will grow
anything, and figs, olives and other
fruits flourish. There are olive or
chards everywhere. They cover tho
sides Of the hills and are near every
farm village. 1 was hardly out OF
sight of them on my way from She
chem to Mount Carmel. mud am told
that Il great quantity of oil is exported
Taxed by the hIohammcdan4.
The chief trouble of the Palestine
farmer is the NIohammedan tax
gatherer and assessor. These men have
squeezed the heart out of every crop
of the past. and 1t is only now. when
Turkey has q now Constitution, that
tho people have begun to hope that
they may mako something out OF their
country when tho olive trees are in
blossom and they then estimate the
money which eacIi tree should yield.
They assess this amount as a cash
tax. and the owner Of the orchard must
pay 1t whether the Yield turns out we'll
or not, There Is often a failure OF
crops, and tho trees produce Just
enough for the taxes. Some times they
fail entirely. AS O result people have
grown discouraged and have begun to
cut down their orchards and sell both
wood and roots. This is forbidden by.
the new Constitution.
The taxation Is not confined to the
orchards. 1t is imposed upon every
crop. the amount fixed being about
one eighth of the annual yield This
tax is farmed out to the highest bid.
der, one man taking the contract OF
district and offering the government
a lump sum in cash for them. After
the allotment has been made and the
price fixed, they are allowed to stand
for Il week or so, during which time
any ono who Offers 8 per cent, moro
can get the district. Once settled, thu.
,belong5 To the. man who haa