Evening star., 1950-04-05
Earliest 6ibiicoI Records Fl
Now Being MicrofiImed
Manuscripts Photographed
At Nj. Sinoi Monastery
By Thomos R. Henry

By Thomos R. Henry
The biggest microrlming Job in history
now is we'll underway.
It is the Photographic reproduction for
the Library of Congress OF the manu-
script library in the ancient monastery
of st. Catherine on Mt Sinai, near
the spot where Moses is supposed TO have
received the ten commandments. These
manuscripts contain some Of the earliest
records Of Christianity.
A Library of Congress group now is
reproducing them page by page at
rate Of $500 pictures a day for the
benefit Of American Biblical scholars. A
special camera has Just been fown TO
the photographers to hasten the Job.
which will mean the permanent preser-
vation Of these invaluable records.
Included in the material are approxi-
mately $50 manuscripts Of parts Of the
New Testament which are expected to
prove Of particular value In connection
with new critical study now being
undertaken by an international group Of
scholars headed by DR.. Ernest c. Colwell.
president OF the University Of Chicago.
Directing the work is William B. Terry
OF the American Foundation for the
Study Of Man. with which the library
is cooperating. An eminent Egyptian
scholar. Prof. Aziz Atiya. is in charge OF
recording a remarkable series Of Arabic
documents telling Of the relationships
between the monastery and Moslem
potentates.
Copy Of Book Of Job.
The manuscripts total between 100000
and 100000 pages. Among them is
known to be an extremely early copy
Of the Book Of Job. A greater part OF
the collection is unknown. From 1t
nearly a century ago came one of the
most important manuscripts of the Bible.
the so-called Codex Sinaiticus. which
eventually passed into the hands of the
Car and which the Soviet government.
being uninterested in religious matters.
sold to the British Museum for approx
mately half million dollars in 1888.
The library presumably has been ac-
cumulating since some early Christians
established themselves on the mountain
top 220 years after the CruciflXion TO
escape Roman persecution, Later a for
tress was erected with a church inside
exactly on the spot where, according to
tradition. Moses saw the burning bush.
This was about $50 AID, making the
Christendom.
Foundations of the present monastery
were laid in 542 1t became known as
the Monastery of st. Catherine at this
time. due to the discovery of supposed
relics of the saint on the highest noun
tain in the Sinai peninsula and their
transport to the rebuilt monastery. The
skull and hand of the saint still are pre-
served
The monastery and its library escaped
any injury during the rise Of Islam due
to the personal interest Of Mohammed
himself. Before he became prophet he
had been guide for commercial cara
vans and apparently had taken parties
to Mount Sinai several times on sight
seeing tours He had made personal
friends there. In 625 he issued personal
orders to his followers to leave the monks
alone and to respect their property.
His decree has been respected by
Mohammedan potentates ever since.
A chemical that causes apples and
peaches to ripen as much as a month
earlier than normal is being tested by
the Agriculture Department.
1t is a spraying material known as
trichloro- -phenoxiacetic acid. The chem
ical ripener works we'll in scientifically
controlled experiments but it is rather
risky stuff for the novice to handle. The
Department scientists-P. c. Marsh, c.
p Harley and A. L. Havis of the Belts
vile. Md, experiment station-say a
lot more work will be necessary to
standardize the treatment before 1t can
be recommended to farmers.
Their first experiments were with a
variety of apple known as the Rome
Beauty. Normally 1t Is ready for picking
late in October in the latitude of Mary
land The fruits sprayed late in August
reached the same stage Of maturity late
in September.
Mixed In Water Spray.
This result was achieved when the acid
was mixed in a water spray in the pro-
portions of 100 to 200 parts per million.
When the higher concentration was used
however the foliage around the develop
ing apples was badly burned and new
shoot growth in the spring was deformed.
The next crop Of blossoms was late in
opening. The concentration of 100 parts
per million did no observable damage.
The speed-up from similar treatment
was much less marked for three summer
varieties of apples. Ripening was hast
ened Dy from nVe 10 IL Gays.
Peaches showed even more marked
effects. Elberta peaches in this latitude
ordinarily are ready to pick late in July.
The spray made them ready to harvest
on June 81. Those fruits which were
sprayed on the branches month or
more before harvest time. however, were
mis- -shapen and reduced in size and
quantity. The later the spray was ap-
piled the less the effect on the fruit.
The results are obtained with much lower
concentrations than was the case with
apples
Ordinarily peaches ripen unevenly on
the same tree. some remaining green
while others are ready to fall to the
ground. On the sprayed branches. all
ripened at about the same time.
Danger to the trees is quite pro-
nounced, the investigators say, and the
work has not progressed far enough TO
lay down specific procedures.
To Tobithu PIuskett
/-. 17NNN