The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-12
EpHESUS IN 1911--By Fra1k c. Carpenter

which now go to waste. He thinks that old Mesopotamia can be redeemed by irrigation, and a new Egypt created there. He says the new governmental conditions point to revolution along many lines of industry and commerce. and that American capital should take advantage of the situation.
 Raw Silk From Syria
 Syria and Asia Minor are now rais- ing a great deaf of silk, which is sent to France and shipped from there to the United States. The American res idents tell me that there is no req son that we should not buy this raw silk direct, and thus save the French mans profits and the double transpor- tation charges. I saw mulberry or chards everywhere during my travels in Syria. The plains about Beirut are covered with them, and they are to be found on both sides of the Lebanon mountains. The trees grow to the eight of a mans head and are then cut back. Their branches are cut off every year. and the green leaves from the new sprouts form the food for millions 
 rnascus I saw women and children pick ing the leaves to feed the worms, car rying them to sheds erected for the pur- pose Rearing the silk worms is large ly in the hands of the women. They take care of the trees and sell the CO., coons, this forming the chief source of their pin money.
 Money in Olives
 "He who plants an olive tree lays up riches for his children's children" This saying is current belief through out the Levant. The olive crop is the money crop of great part of Pales- tine, Syria and Asia Minor. Many of the trees are hundreds of years old and some of them were planted before Co., lumbus discovered America. MT. Rayn- rol tells of an orchard near Tripol in Syria, which the papers show was es tablished about J00 years ago. and he says the trees are still bearing. All the way from Jerusalem to the sea of Gal flee I saw olive trees which looked old enough to have been planted by Jacob, and some of gigantic size which were hollow and had been filled with stones 10 aid in their support.
 Many of the German colonies of the Holy Land have set out new orchards, and the Americans who live at Haifa by careful cultivation have brought their trees into bearing fruit every year. I am told that the crop is very profitable, and that under the new gov ernment and reduced taxation many more trees will be planted. The fruit Is raised for the oil. of which a ton of olives yields about 70 gallons, worth $136. Asiatic Turkey already leads the world in it's production of olive oil, hav- ing about two or three hundred thous- and more barrels per annum than eith- CT Spain or Italy.
 Smyrna Figs
 Another important crop of the region about Smyrna is the fig, which grows better here than in almost any other part of the world In some years over three hundred thousand camel loads are raised and they are shipped all over the world. The trees begin to bear in their sixth year, and are at their best ten years after planting The figs ripen about the first of August and when fully matured fall to the ground. They are dried in the sun and then packed in bags for the market.
 great many of these figs go to America and you will find them in all our grocery stores. Our part of the crop is carefully packed, there being several American firms here who do nothing else. The figs are first sorted according to the thickness of the skin and size of the fruit. The poorest are thrown away or used for distilling pur-