TACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 167 



The temple was called by Solomon "The house of the forest of Lebanon," 

 because it was chiefly constructed of cedar. Darius, also, in rebuilding the 

 temple, sent to the Sidonians for cedar trees from Lebanon. Ezra III-j. The 

 fame of the Sidonians as timber dealers had thus continued six centuries. 



So long as the mountains retained their forest covering, and forest influ- 

 ences prevailed, the clouds were attracted, rains were frequent, and percolat- 

 ing through the soft soil burst out in numerous springs to water the fields 

 below, while the soil remained fertile, producing food in abundance. As a 

 rich agricutural region, the large population well fed, were strong in spirit 

 and fully able to protect themselves from incursions of neighboring tribes. 

 We may readily trace the gradual change which took place in climatic condi- 

 tions as the forests were removed from the mountain slopes all along the 

 Mediterranean coast as well as the Libanus and Taurus Mountains, resulting 

 in agricultural disturbances, droughts, famines, pestilence and ultimately in total 

 barrenness, from cessation of rainfall. Then the dispersion of its people became 

 a necessity. As the lands increased in aridity, the soil refused its harvest. 

 Judah and Israel were diminished in numbers, impaired in spirit and were 

 easily subdued by one after another of the nations which had long desired 

 this historic land. 



HISTORIC DROUGHTS. 



Ten hundred and twenty-one B. C., there was a famine in the days of 

 David, three years, year after year. II Saml. XXI-i. 



Nine hundred and ten years B. C., Menander describes a disastrous fam- 

 ine throughout Judea. 



More than a year had passed without rain or dew. This was the same 

 drought in which Elijah was fed by the ravens, and when the brook Cherith 

 had become dry, increased the supply of the widow's meal. 



Five hundred and eighty-eight years B. C., another famine occurred, and 

 with it pestilence, which greatly reduced the population and power of the 

 nation, so that when the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem the stronghold fell, and 

 the people were carried away into captivity. 



While the immediate reason for the fall of Jerusalem may have been on 

 account of the wars and dissensions among the Jewish tribes; and while 

 the idolatry of the rulers and populace is given in scripture as the occasion 

 for their punishment, yet the real cause was the decline of agriculture through 

 the loss of forest influence, impairing the stamina of the inhabitants and 

 resulting in national decadence. . 



What is frequently considered miraculous in the Almighty's direction of 

 affairs is in reality His adoption of natural laws to achieve desired results. 



The Persians coming into power B. C., 444, Darius restored Jerusalem, 

 and rebuilt the temple, but the country was overrun by various tribal bands, 

 agricultural pursuits having been abandoned, and the Jews were ever after 

 under foreign dominion. 



Josephus mentions that when Pompey pitched his camp at Jericho, he 

 found palm and balsam trees, this fact being of sufficient importance to be 

 made of record, since trees had become so scarce in the land. 



