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ticularly the vine. Those devoted solely 

 to the latter were termed vineyards, for 

 the protection of which special laws were 

 instituted, on account of the value of their 

 produce and the nature of its properties, 

 which experience soon taught the people. 

 The qualities of various herbs, among 

 these vegetables, sooner or later became 

 recognized as articles of food, and grad- 

 ually led to their culture, also in enclosed 

 lots. Of these facts the Scriptures fully 

 inform us. 



Thus commenced the art of gardening, 

 which at first was conducted by means 

 of the most primitive tool, such as a 

 pointed stick would provide, and by 

 which the useless and undesirable plants 

 known as weeds could be eradicated. In 

 due time, the scarcity of food led to the 

 discovery and great value of cereals, and 

 the demand for greater quantities of these 

 would tend to the extension of the areas 

 of cultivation and easier means of pro- 

 duction. Hence the pointed stick selected 

 was of larger dimensions, and rendered 

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