50 BARLEY. 



nearest the proper times if we remember that the barley-seed 

 generally requires from ten to twelve weeks to ripen from the 

 period when the seed is first put into the soil, provided the 

 weather during that time is favorable to its growth. The barley 

 is ready for harvest, in the latitude a few miles south of Jeru 

 salem, about the 20th of March, varying a few days sometimes 

 in the plains near the coast or in the warmer vales to the east. 

 North of Jerusalem and around Samaria it is a week or ten days 

 later, and about Mount Lebanon still later by another week. On 

 the east of Lebanon and in the plains of Damascus it seems to be 

 several days in advance of the crops on the sea-side slopes and 

 plains of the mountain-ranges, because of the soil and the sun 

 which encourage the eastern growths. The wheat-season is still 

 later in all parts than that of the barley. Hence, when Ruth 

 began her gleaning in the fields of Boaz, it is evident that, being 

 in the region of Bethlehem, her visit to the land of her mother- 

 in-law must have been near the last week of March. On the 

 other hand, as the entrance of Holofernes into the land with 

 his army was in the season of wheat-harvest, it must have 

 been at a time much later, determined by the ripening of the 

 wheat. As the first mention of barley in the Scriptures is in 

 connection with the destruction of the grain by the plague of 

 thunder and hailstones, we are enabled to ascertain the date of 

 that plague, for it is stated that &quot; the barley was in the ear ;&quot; 

 hence it must have occurred somewhat earlier than the middle 

 of March : for the Israelites were at that time at Kameses, in 

 latitude about seventy miles south of Gaza. As barley ripens 

 in the latter place about the 18th, the difference of the season 



