| Show PALESTINE As AB many persons have questioned me respecting the climate and fruitfulness ea of the land of palestine I 1 have thought it well to reply through the columns of the NEWS seeing that we as a people are very much interested in the future of that land knowing more about its destiny than any other people those who will be favored to live in palestine will be called the people of the lord and be the bride of the lamb of god Y hence it is no wonder that we concern 4 ourselves so much about the changes that are soon to take place there As for the climate it is of the finest the very air seems filled with fertility A heavy coat of dew falling upon the ground every night in that way vay the necessary moisture is provided for the maturing of the crops it seldom snows in palestine and if it does frost is very ve ry rare this his is however not the case with lebanon which is high and covered with snow almost every winter the climate of judea and samaria is semitropical semi tropical and these places are most agreeable and pleasant for winter residence along the coasts of the mediterranean garden produce grows all the winter so that in march and april the new crops are realized oranges are ripe in december and continue good for five or six months in order to preserve them they are allowed to remain on the trees until required when they are gathered and shipped those gathered late have generally a thick peel but they are otherwise good the orange orchards along the coast furnish a most delightful sight as the trees bloom in march while while the fruit yet remains on other trees thus the air being filled with a sweet perfume and the orchards led with the yellow oranges the beholder has before him a picture not soon to be forgotten orange trees flourish all over palestine but they are am chiefly cultivated on the sea coast as the arabs do but little for their own benefit oranges are the winter fruit of the country the climate in the summer is hot and dry after the later rains in march no rain is expected until about october when the early rains begin to fall the atmospheric changes are much like our own here in utah windy wet in winter and dry and hot in summer on the river jordan which is several hundred feet below the level of the sea the weather is extremely warm in the summer but as the valley is a well watered by the jordan the oppressive heat is considerably tempered the river jordan has a fall of about six hundred feet from the sea of galilee ollilee to the dead sea a distance of about daty four miles and if settled by a people who properly understood irrigation it could be made orie one of the most delight delightful fu I 1 spots on OB earth the country is full of fevers in the summer time that is ia alie low lands ani and particularly the swamps but on the hills it is as a rule healthy hence the people usually seek the high lands as a place of residence during the summer months the summer fruits consist principally of figs grapes bananas olives and locusts and sometimes st johns bread some soine say that this is what john ate with his honey while in the wilderness small grain also grows well such as am wheat oats barley and corn potatoes do not do so 80 well except when the seed is brought from foreign countries along the eastern part of mount carmel the country is lovely when we passed through it it had bad just been r ining and the fields being covered with a promising yield of grain left a striking impression on our minds of the richness of the land and he bles blessing ging of heaven upon it besides the green and well laden fields the hills were spangled with low oaks and olives and if I 1 remember rightly with wild apple trees this ii the country where king avld sought refuge from saulle revengeful pursuits here bere he lived jived in exile and herded the sheep and cattle of the rich nabal here also the prophets elijah and elisha performed many of their mighty works and often lived in exile and hiding from the wicked kings of israel round bound about samaria the country to is hilly billy in the days of prosperity this country was noted for its plen of wine and oil the prophet jeremiah says thou shall yet plant vines upon the hills of samaria the planters shall plant and shall eat them as common things for watchmen upon the mount ephraim shall cry arise ye and let jet us go up to zion unto the lord our god jer 31 6 6 around samaria one can still see marks of a once high state of cultivation as am the country is still much terraced off ane country of jerusalem boes oes not look so inviting the hills are more rugged and barren though there are spots where grapes and olives dowell do well the country west of the holy city that is toward the mediterranean is better than that which is found toward the east and in the direction of the dead sea and jericho the country appears forsaken it is very much broken cutup cut up with deep ravines like the castle valley country in utah and Is if the very ideal for a home of the thieves and robbers who infest the land L do not know that there is a very marked change in the fruitfulness of the holy land but some efforts have been made to better cultivate the country by europeans and as they become more familiar with our modern ways of tilling the soil they realize better returns when the fruitfulness of palestine returns it will be astonish ing and of a magnitude which will not he be mistaken let us remember the report of the twelve spies sent out by moses to find the wealth and strength of the land of canaan they returned with a most glowing account of its fertility and in proof brought a boneh of grapes which was carried on a poll between two this fruitfulness will perhaps not return at once but when god aoda a saints shall receive their long looked for inheritance in that land the lord will bless it as promised through his servants f P IF HINTZE SALT LAKE CITY may 1890 |
