in Syria, Phoenice &c. -^Gs 



Though the Corn which is produced near Laiikea, is thcTobacp 

 beft and the moft early of that Part of Syria, yet, of late, the Latikcl ' 

 Inhabitants have neglected This Branch of Husbandry, toge- 

 ther with That of the Vine, (for both which, it was formerly 

 famous ',) and employ themfelves chiefly in the more profita- 

 ble Culture of Tobacco. This is a very confiderable, and in- 

 deed the only Article of Trade, which hath in a few Years fo 

 greatly enriched this City, and the Country round about It- 

 For there is fliipped off, every Year, from hence to Dami-ata 

 and Scandarea, more than twenty thoufand Bales, to the no 

 fmall Diminution of that Branch of Trade at Salonica. 



The Holy Land, were it as well peopled and cultivated, as'^''^^ f^^^'y 

 in former Time, would ftill be more fruitful, than the Ncxyf^'mi kan 

 beft Part of the Coaft of Syria and Thaenice. For the SoilfhanuTe. 

 itfelf is generally much richer, and, all Things confidered, 

 yields a more preferable Crop. Thus the Cotton that is gathered 

 in the Plains oi Ramah, Efdraelon and Zabulon, is in greater 

 Efteem, than what is cultivated near Sidon and Ttipoly^ 

 neither is it poiTible for Pulfe, Wheat or any fort of Grain 

 to be more excellent, than what is commonly fold at Jeru- 

 falem. The Barrennefs, or Scarcity rather, which fome Au- 

 thors * may either ignorantly or malicioufly complain of, does 

 not proceed from the Incapacity or natural Unfruitfulnefs of 

 the Country, but from the Want of Inhabitants, and the great 

 Averlion there is to Labour and Induftry in thofe few who 

 poflefs it. There are befides, fuch perpetual Difcords and 

 Depredations among the petty Princes, who fliare this fine 

 Country, that, allowing it was better peopled, yet there would 

 be fmall Encouragement to fow, w^ien it was uncertain, who 

 fhould gather in the Harveft. Otherwife the Land h a good 

 Land, and ftill capable of affording it's Neighbours the like 



I Vid. Not. I. p. 522. 2 Michael (Fillanovanus) Servetus, in his Edition of Ptolemy, 

 Ltigd. 153^. hath, in the Defcription which he annexes to the Table of the Holj Land, the 

 following Words. Sc'uis tamen Lector optime, injuria, aut jaBantia ptira tantam hir.c TerrAboni' 

 tatem fuife adfcriptam, co quod ipfa Experientia mercatorum & peregre proficifcentium, banc incul- 

 tam, fterilem, omni dulcedine carentem depromit. Quare promijfam Terram pollicitam & non 

 vernacula Lingua laudantem pronuncias &c. Vid. New Memoirs of Literature. Vol.i. p.2<S. &c. 

 But among many other Travellers, who have ftrongly afierted the Contrary, I /liall fubjoyn 

 the following Obfervations of P. de La Valle upon this Country, which agree exaftly with 

 mine. II paefe, per donde caminavamo era bellijpma. Tutte collini, valli e monticelli fruttiferi. 

 Le convalle de Mambre e a punto comme tutti gli altri paeft dintorno, che quantunque montuofi e 

 fajfofifono pero fertili/^mi. Let.i^. Le Montagne e Valli bien che fiano alpefiri fono nondimeno 

 tutte frutiffere per la diligema degli agricoltori. Id. Let. i. 



Z z z z Supplies, 



