Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1916-08-31

feed Its own Christian popula-
ton and at the same time sat
= isfy the military authorities
extraordinary demands for supplies Is
not surprising to those familiar with
the primitive agricultural methods OF
the Holy Land. Concerning the man
ner In which crops are raised In TINS
section of the near East, where 5oOoo
people are reported to have perished
already, John D. Whiting presents
this graphic picture in communica-
ton to the National Geographic so
clety:
In the mountain districts the farm
land is usually owned by peasant pro-
prietors, each mans property being
composed Of various small pieces scat
tered about near the village In which
he lives. The raising Of olives, grapes
and many other fruits is the leading
occupation, but almost every farmer
grows some grain.
Down on the plains larger fields ex-
list and cereals are largely planted.
The land of given village Is fire.
Quently owned In common by the VII
layers and a division Of 1t takes place
every alternate year, and Is so ar
ranged that every man gets portions
of the good as well as Of the less
desirable land.
Fences, in the western sense of the
word, are unknown. In the noun
famous country lands are inclosed by
loose stone walls, still called by the
ancient Hebrew name "jedar," and on
the plains by thorn hedges. When the
open fields are owned by individuals,
the boundary lines are indicated by
deep burrows, in which at Intervals
stones are laid as landmarks. 1t Is
therefore, readily seen how easily
these boundaries could be changed by
an avariclous neighbor, undeterred by
the Mosaic warning, "Cursed be he
that removeth his neighbours land
mark"
Crude Methods Of Farming.
Rain begins to fall about November
average annual rainfall for 81. years
about 20 inches), after rainless sum
mer, and as soon as the ground Is wei
molstened the fellah starts planting
the winter cereals-wheat, barley
lentils, beans, etc. The pillow is crud
N affair, made Of oak, the bent parts be
ing natural curves held together witt
iron bands; these bands and small
plowshare, which only scratches tn
ground few inches deep, are the onl,
metal parts.
Oxen are the favorite animals TO
yoking to a pillow. Cows and donkey
are employed by the poorer people
Horses, mules and camels (the las
named only along the Mediterranea
coast) are harnessed singly to plow'
while sometimes one sees an OK an
camel yoked together.
The fellah sows the grain on tn
bare ground and then plows 1t in. l
rocky ground man or woman follow
with a pick to loosen the earth tha
may have been skipped by the pillow
The soil is not fortified. The disir
tegration Of the underlying llmeston
feeds the soil, so that for thousand
Of years 1t has continued yieldin
crops. The manure and rubbish, II
Aead Of being utilized, are allowed
accumulate in heaps outside the vi
iages until they surround 1t like sma
mountains.
After the winter crops have all bee
planted the vineyards and olive grow
y are plowed couple of times and ais
!. the fields reserved for the summ'
planting, these latter crops are nj
{ put into the ground until the rail-
), have entirely ceased.
i Harvest Time Scenes.
During harvest time the fields a
lively and picturesque; the emit
/ family has part in the wor
q the small children playing abo
, among the sheaves and even Il
= babies are brought into the field
y A large toothed sickle Is Ell
q ployed by the reapers when the gra
y u long. but n short q smaller one
~>S~~~~>~-~-~|~~-NN~o"N>-