pavatively desolate, once supported a uumerous popu- 

 lation. 



The region of ancient Jericho with its palms — the 

 enchanting valley of Sechem — the gardens of Engedi — 

 % and olive groves and vineyards in great numbers, 

 altogether impress us with its former wonderful fertility. 



Immense ijrain fields and ffardens of cucumbers and 

 melons, each with its hut or lodge for the abode of a 

 watchman, who remained during the ripening season to 

 guard the fruit, were numerous and in some parts are 

 still to be seen. Isaiah compares Zion "as desolate as 

 a lodge in a garden of cucumbers." 



The plants represented might be divided into plants 

 ornamental ; plants used for perfume or incense ; fruits, 

 grains, woods, &c. 



Of ornamental plants, the Rose, strange as it may ap- 

 pear, is not found in the Scriptures. The tw) solitary 

 cases, in Isaiah and the Song of Solomon, where our ver- 

 sion has the word Rose are thouo;ht to indicate a bulbous 

 plant — an Amaryllis or Narcissus. The Rose of Sharon 

 is therefore supposed to be the JS^arcissus Tazzeta, a plant 

 that freely abounds in the wilds of Sharon. The Rose of 

 the Apochrapha is supposed to refer to a shrub, extremely 

 common around the Sea of Gallilee and the water courses 

 of that country generally, that is the JSferium Olean- 

 der, well known and cultivated among us. 



Our native ApocynesB are of the same order with it, and 

 all of them, though so beautiful, are more or less poison- 

 ous ; indeed most milky-sapped plants should be regarded 

 with suspicion. The sap of the Oleander is most viru- 

 lently poisonous, and has even caused death. The poAv- 

 dered wood is sometimes used as a rat exterminator. 



The Lily is the ornamental plant of Scripture ; its 

 flowers adorned, in relief, the brim of the Moultou 



