Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-08-24

feed Its own Christian popula-
ton and ut 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.
fer In which crops are raised in this
section of the near East. where $4,000
people are reported to have persisted
already, John ID. Whiting presents
this graphic picture In a communica-
ton to the National Geographic So
ciety:
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 I'm 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.
layers and division OF II 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 avaricious neighhor undeterred by
the Mosaic warning, Cursed be he
that removeth his neighbours land
mark"
Crude Methods Of Farming.
Rain begins to fall about November
taverage annual rainfall for so years
about 26 inchesl, after a rainless sum-
mer. and as soon as the ground Is well
moistened the feliah starts planting
the winter eerealS-wheat. barley,
lentils, beans, etc. The pillow Is crude
affair. made OF oak, the bent parts be-
ing natural curves held together with
iron bands: these bands and small
plowshare, which only scratches the
ground a few inches deep. are the only
metal parts
Oxen are the favorite animals for
yokinG to a pillow. Cows and donkeys
are employed by the poorer people.
Horses. mules and camels (the last
named only along the Mediterranean
coast) are harnessed singly to plows.
while sometimes one sees an OK and
a camel yoked together.
The fellah sows the grain on the
bare ground and then plows Ii in. In
rocky ground man or woman follows
with n pick to loosen the earth that
may have been skipped by the plow.
The soil Is not fortified. The disin-
tegration of the underlying limestone
feeds the soil, SO that for thousands
OF years IL has continued yielding
crops. The manure and rubbish. In
stead Of being utilized, are allowed to
accumulate In heaps outside the VIII
lagos until they surround IL like small
mountains
After the winter crops have I'LL been
| planted the vineyards and olive groves
are plowed a couple Of times and also
the fields reserved for the summer
| planting. these latter, crops are not
put into the ground until the rain
have entirely ceased.
harvest Time Scenes.
During harvest time the fields are
| lively and picturesque; the entire
| family has part I'm the work.
the small children playing about
| among the sheaves and even the
| babies are brought into the fields,
A large toothed sickle Is EN-.
pioyei by the reapers when the grain
| IL long. but IL short a smaller one Is
used. the edge being quite duh; SO
| that u does not cut but simply up
roots the grain.
| Destitute women and girls are al
lowed TO fellow the reapers and CLEAN
the fallen ears. which they tie into
neat little bundles, dropping them on
the ground as they SO along, aud these
they gather up every evening and beat
out the grain with a stick. just Ms
Ruth did OF old In the fields Of Rethie-
hera. During the rearing period what
the Bible calls "parched corn Ia
made In almost every field, Some
wheat not fully ripe In cut down and