in Syria^ Phoenice o^c. ^6j 



as it is ftill praolifed all over Mount Lihanus, the Cafira'van 

 Mountains and Barbary ; in all which Places the higher Grounds 

 are fet apart for this Ufe, and the Plains and Valleys 

 for Tillage. For, beiides the good Management and Oeco-^/,,,„i^/„, 

 nomy, there is this further Advantage, that the Milk ofCattle^rfSj 

 fed in this Manner, is far more rich and delicious, as their''""' ^^''■"'• 

 Fleili is more fweet and nouriihing. But even laying afide the 

 Profits that might arife from grazing, fuch as Butter, Milk, 

 Wool, and the great Number of Cattle that were to be dayly 

 difpofed of, at Jemfalem, for common Food and Sacrifices, 

 thefe Mountainous Diftriots, I fay, would be highly valuable 

 upon other Coniiderations, efpecially as they feem formerly to 

 have been planted all over with Olive Trees ; one Acre of which, "^''^ ^"■"'' 



if rightly improved, is of more Value than twice the Extent "^■^^'''^''■^- 



tains flavt 



j^in.i» iiij iJi >-» τ wv*, ij \js. iiiv^xw V iliuv./ mail LWll./t/ LUt 1Z.XIC11L L "^' ,' 



1 1 /-^ J τ 1 Trees and 



ot arable Ground. It may be prefumed likewife, that the '''"'"• 

 \^ine was not negleoted, in a Soil and Expofition ' fo proper 

 for it to thrive in. The latter indeed, not being of fo durable 

 a Nature as the Olive Tree, and requiring moreover a conti- 

 nual Culture and Attendance' ; the Scruple likewife, which the 

 Mahometans entertain, of propagating a Fruit that maybe ap- 

 plyed to Ufes forbidden by their Religion, are the Reafons 

 perhaps, why there are not many Tokens to be met with, except 

 at Jerufakm and Hehron\ of the antient Vineyards. Where- 

 as the general Benefit arifing from the Olive Tree, the Lon- 

 gaevity and Hardinefs of it, have continued down, to this Time, 

 feveral thoufands of them together , to mark out to us the 

 PolTibility of greater Plantations. Now if to thefe Produdions, several vaUs 

 we joyn a great many hundred Acres of arable Ground, thatomf»! ^ 

 lyefcattered all over the Dales and Windings of the Mountains 



-Juvat Ifnma Baccho 



Conferere, atqtie oleamagmm viftireTabtirnim. Vkg. Georg. 2. I.37. 

 2 Jam ν'ιηίΐΛ vites, jam falcem arbufla reponunt. 

 Jam canit extremos effatus vinitor antes ; 

 Sollicitanda tatnen tellus, pulvifqiie movendus : 

 Etjam matur'is nietuendus yupittr uv'is. 

 V Contra, mn ulla εβ oleis cultura : neque ilia 

 Procitrvam εχρείΐαηΐ falcem, rafirofque tenaces, 

 Ctimfimel hiiferunt arvis. Id. ibid. 1. 415. 



3 Beiides the great Quantity of Grapes and Raifins, that are, one or other of them, 

 brought dayly to the Markets oijerufalem and the neighbouring Villages, Hebron alone lends 

 every Year to Egypt three Iiundred Camel-Loads, (i. e. near two thoufand Quintals) of the 

 Robb, which they call οι«ίθ (ί^^Ί) Dibfe, the fame Word that is rendred Honey in the 

 Scripturci. Hebron has the Title of Mrf/f£/ J/siik. i, e. the chofen or beloved among 

 the Arabs : the (Mag-gar j\.%^ el Mamra) Cave of Marine or Mackpelah, (Gen. 25. 17. 1 

 being lighted up with Lamps, and held in extraordinary Veneration by the 3iabometans. 



Ζ Ζ Ζ Ζ X of 



