144 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



enough and high enough to be traversed without stoop- 

 ing. This cave is likewise in a limestone hill, but is 

 said to contain no stalactites. 



The lime which is burned from the grey limestone 

 common here must be used fresh, because otherwise it 

 worsens very fast and loses its best binding qualities. 

 I was told at Philadelphia that agates, carnelian-stones, 

 and fine pebbly flint-stones (all these are called there 

 moccas or mocca-stones) are found in great numbers 

 in this region, but they knew nothing of such stones 

 here ; nearer to the mountains, they said, there are 

 such stones found. Likewise there was much told me 

 regarding a silver-ore from the Nazareth region, but 

 I was unable to procure any of it. 



All the European pot-herbs flourish exceedingly at 

 Bethlehem, under the good care of exact and inde- 

 fatigable gardeners. They have very fine colly- 

 flowers which will not do well in New York and 

 Philadelphia gardens the sea-air which is given as 

 the reason of failure cannot be so contrary, for colly- 

 flowers are raised excellently well on the coasts of Hol- 

 land and also in England. The explanation is rather to 

 be sought in careless looking-after Peach and pear 

 trees, which elsewhere yield much good fruit, sicken 

 here after a few years and die in numbers ; it is Mr. 

 Otto's opinion that insects are the cause. For sundry 

 observations on the medicinal properties of certain 

 indigenous plants I must thank the experienced Mr. 

 Otto. It is not generally known that the European 

 juniper-bush grows easily from twigs stuck in the 

 earth, after the manner of most cuttings from leaf- 

 trees. In Mr. Otto's garden are several shrubs grown 

 from the planted twig. 



