Syria: An Economic Survey 



Corn (yellow-grained) is sowed on about % as much land as 

 durrha. In the Jolan it is planted in August after the wheat 

 harvest. 



Eye and oats are very infrequent, being planted only in the 

 German, Jewish, and Circassian colonies. 



Legumes, for the most part chick-peas, lentils, beans, vetches, 

 and lupins, are sowed in February and serve to bridge over the 

 time between winter and summer crops. Beans are harvested in 

 April, chick-peas in June or July. Lupin is used as food, ferti- 

 lizer, and dye-stuff. Chick-peas are exported, principally to Mar- 

 seilles and Egypt. The total yield of legumes for household use 

 is about 500,000 tons. 



Sesame, which is planted in the vicinity of Horns and Kama, 

 in parts of the coastal plain, in the Plain of Sharon and the Valley 

 of Esdraelon (the latter two regions produce the best quality), 

 is a summer crop, and is used in the manufacture of oil. It is 

 sowed in March or April and harvested in August or September. 

 Of a total of 30,000 tons a considerable part is exported, mainly 

 to France and Italy. Sesame is the crop most valued by the 

 fellaheen. It is a delicate plant and easily destroyed by heavy 

 rains. Sesame requires thorough tillage and much care. It forma 

 a good green crop for wheat. 



Bice is planted in small quantities in the Vilayet of Aleppo 

 and in the Jolan. 



Alfalfa and clover are planted mainly in the Vilayets of 

 Aleppo and Damascus. Alfalfa, which requires much water, is 

 grown in large quantities in the plain of Damascus, where it is 

 used for fodder. From March to November it is reaped every 

 few weeks. It is used as an additional crop between olive trees. 



Edible roots and tubers, for instance potatoes, play a far 

 smaller role than in Europe. They are hardly planted at all, except 

 in Damascus and Aleppo. Their price ranges from 80 to 100 francs 

 per ton. The total yield of potatoes and beets is about 200,000 tons. 



Of vegetables, especially melons, tomatoes, egg-plant, cucum- 

 bers, onions, garlic, carrots, cabbages, cauliflowers, artichokes, and 

 asparagus are cultivated. Melons thrive on the coastal plain 

 between Jaffa and Haifa. About 1,000,000 are exported yearly, 

 worth approximately 250,000 francs. Onions (35,000 sacks in 

 1912) are exported from Tripoli and Latakia. The other vege- 

 tables are used in the country. The fellaheen are expert vegetable 

 growers. Watermelons, squashes, tomatoes, egg-plant, and onions 

 do not require watering. 



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