Syria: An Economic Survey 



radix scammonia, and other herbs. The total value of these amounts 

 to about 1,000,000 francs. The bitter-apple, which grows in the 

 sandy, unplowed land around Gaza and Beersheba, is exported 

 mainly to Germany. At the junction of the Jordan and Lake 

 Huleh the papyrus reed grows in large quantities. 



5. Animal Husbandry. 



In round numbers there are in Syria : 270,000 horses, donkeys, 

 and mules, worth 50,000,000 francs; 500,000 heads of neat-cattle, 

 worth 60,000,000 francs; 800,000 sheep and goats worth 96,000,- 

 000 francs ; and 180,000 camels worth 54,000,000, making a total 

 of 260,000,000 francs. 



The horses of Syria are good, although thoroughbreds are rare. 



Donkeys are used both for transportation and plowing. 



The oxen in Damascus and the Lebanon are of a fairly good 

 breed, but in the rest of the country they are small and neglected. 

 The Damascus cow gives a maximum of 3,171 to 4,228 quarts of 

 milk annually. 



Sheep are the mainstay of the classes which live by animal 

 husbandry. There is only one kind, the fat tail sheep. The shear- 

 ing takes place in April or May. The average yield is 6^ pounds 

 of wool per head. 



There are two varieties of goats, the mambrina and the horned 

 mountain goat. 



Camels are used only for transportation purposes. They are 

 purchased from the Bedouin. 



Swine are to be found only in the Christian villages. 



Animal husbandry suffers severely from frequent murrains. 

 The annual receipts of the whole country from animal husbandry 

 (including milk, etc., goat's hair, hides, etc) amount to about 

 36,000,000 francs. To this sum must be added the profits derived 

 from rearing the young of the various animals, about 67,000,000 

 francs, making a total of over 100,000,000 francs. Most of the 

 young animals are kept in the country, although some are exported 

 to Egypt. 



Cow's milk is used in the Vilayet of Damascus and in the 

 Lebanon, as well as in the Palestinian colonies. The rest of the 

 population use sheep's milk and goat's milk. 



Wool is brought in large quantities to the markets of Damas- 

 cus, Horns, etc., by the Bedouin. The Hauran wool is very strong, 

 and suitable for carpets. Almost all the wool is exported to 

 Western Europe and America. 



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