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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



AMERICAN FARMERS IN PALESTINE. 



TriE following interesting statement of a new agri- 

 caltural enterprise near Jerusalem, is copied from a 

 late number of the JYew York Trihme: 



" Two years ago, an effort was made in a new line 

 to ameliorate the condition of the inhabitants of 

 Palestine. Seven Americans, with improved plows 

 and other tools, and American seeds, located upon a 

 piece of land seven miles from Jerusalem, one mile 

 from Bethlehem, and made preparations for farming 

 after the American system. 



" Their location was in the valley of Artos, upon 

 the very site of one of the gardens of Solomon. 



" Their friends in the city were much opposed to 

 their going out their to reside, urging them, if they 

 were determined to try to cultivate the soil, to keep 

 their residence in the city, for fear of the Arabs. 

 This did not suit their plans, and they took up their 

 residence upon the land and commenced operations, 

 plowing deep with one of our best plows, harrowing 

 with an iron toothed harrow, such as was never seen 

 their before, and planting corn, potatoes, beans, peas, 

 oats, barley, wheat, and all sorts of garden vegetables; 

 in short, making a perfect American farm. 



" The operations, instead of exciting the jealousy 

 of the Arabs, aroused them to a state of surprise, 

 and the news of what the Americans at Solomon's 

 were doing, and the wonderful tools they were using, 

 and how peaceable and quiet they were, never saying 

 anything about their religion, flew on the wings of 

 the wind, and visitors came to look and wonder, from 

 far and near. The operations of the carpenter and 

 blacksmith were not among the least sources of wond- 

 er. The rapid manner in which he heated his iron, 

 and hammered it into just such shape as he desired, 

 was beyond the comprehension of the simple-minded 

 people. 



" One day the farm received a visit from twenty- 

 five Sheiks, who inspected all the tools and the way 

 they were used, and the effect produced, and looked 

 at the growing crops, so much beyond anything they 

 had ever seen produced before, and then turned their 

 heads together to consult upon the wonders they had 

 witnessed. The conclusion was that the people must 

 possess a very superior kind of religion, as that is 

 the standard upon which they base all their estimates 

 of character. They made applications at once for 

 several of their sons to serve as apprentices to learn 

 American farming, and did not even object that they 

 should be taught the principles of American religion; 

 for surely, said they, it must be a good religion, as 

 these are very good people, and God blesses their 

 labor beyond any other in all Palestine. 



" It would have been dangerous now for any one 

 to molest the American farmers, since they had all 

 the Sheiks and principal men in the country on their 

 side, and anxious for their success and influence. The 

 Jews, too, began to think it would be better for them 

 to cultivate such a fruitful soil than starve in the 

 city, as many of them have done, and they began to 

 apply for situations as laborers, notwithstanding the 

 priests always taught them that it was derogatory to 

 the national character of the Hebrews to till the 

 soil Though, if they had undertaken it by them- 

 selves, they would not have been permitted by the 



Arabs, who hunt them as they would wild beasts. 

 But, under the protection of the American farmers, 

 the Aral)s will permit them to labor, and it is now a 

 matter of serious discussion among those who know 

 of the success of this enterprise, whether the most 

 feasible plan for colonizing the Jews in Palestine is 

 not to make tliem cultivators of its rich soil. 



"Owing to some difficulty which arose in regard to 

 the title of the land, they commenced upon in the 

 Valley of the Artos, the little colony moved last year 

 to the Plains of Sharon, where they have got a per- 

 manent location, and the number consists now of ten 

 Americans, male and female, and two Germans. 



" One of the number was in our office a few days 

 since, from whom we derived these facts. He speaks 

 in most encouraging terms of the success of the ag- 

 ricultural project, and ultimately, by that means, of 

 an influence upon the inhabitants, that will eventually 

 result in great good. 



"This effort has been made through the liberality 

 of a few Christians in this city, and by the same 

 spirit that actuated the first movers in the work, im- 

 mense benefits may be conferred upon that country. 

 All that is wanted to make it a desirable country for 

 the emigrants of Europe is an increase of the present 

 colony sufficient to form a nucleus or rallyiog-point, 

 and more extended operations, and a gradual drawing 

 in of the resident population to adopt the same modes 

 of producing the varied and profitable products of 

 the soil" 



NEBRASKA AND KANSAS. 



Dr. Basbom, late editor of the Ohio State Journal, 

 is now traveling through Nebraska and Kansas, and 

 is writing a series of interesting letters to the Journal. 

 We clip the following from one of them: 



" Before we passed the Kansas, we came upon an 

 encampment that attracted attention. It turned out 

 to be a grand hunting company from the plains. 

 Sir Gkorge Gore, an English Baronet, has taken it 

 into his head that it will be fine sport to hunt buffalo, 

 etc., on our great western plains. So he packed up 

 his trunks, &c., and started for a regular summer 

 campaign. He brought the most magnificent pack 

 of dogs that were ever seen in this country. Between 

 forty and fifty dogs, mostly grey-hounds and stag- 

 hounds, of the most beautiful breeds, compose this 

 part of the expedition. He had a large carriage, 

 and probably a dozen large wagons to transport pro- 

 visions, &c. These require five yoke of oxen to each 

 wagon. These, with the horses, men, &c., made up 

 quite an imposing company. Sir George is a fine- 

 builf, stout, light-haired, and resolute-looking man. 

 But there are other things besides fun in such a trip, 

 and it will try the manner of stuff of which be is made 

 before he returns. 



" Between Kansas and Westport we passed an en- 

 campment of 3,000 Mormons, who were on their way 

 to the great Salt Lake. They were waiting for the 

 balance of their company, and had been encamped 

 there for several days. They were in a fine forest. 

 Some were sleeping in their wagons, but the most of 

 them had tents, and the woods and fields adjoining, in 

 all directions, were covered with these white and 

 fragile dwellings. Oxea are used for teama Morv 



