MYSTIC PLANTS. 425 



under the trees for some time, guarded by a watch- 

 man of the town. Then a proclamation is made by 

 the governor that all who have trees should go out 

 and pick what has fallen. Previous to this not even 

 the owners are allowed to gather olives in the groves. 

 The proclamation is repeated once or twice, ac- 

 cording to the season. In November comes the final 

 summons, when no olives are safe unless the owner 

 looks after them, for the watchmen are removed, 

 and the orchards become alive with men, women, 

 and children. The shaking of the olive, which is 

 always accompanied with much noise and merriment, 

 is the severest operation of Syrian husbandry, par- 

 ticularly in the mountainous regions. 1 The olive 

 undoubtedly stimulates in the mind of Israelite and 

 Christian thoughts of momentous times and events ; 

 it is equally venerated by them for its history, but 

 is so little a sacred or a mystic tree that perhaps 

 even this passing allusion can scarcely be justified. 

 The same may be said of flowers and plants alluded 

 to in our Lord's teachings, or associated with His 

 journeys. They have an interest, but not a super- 

 stitious interest, although in times past some of 

 them have come to be regarded as mystic flowers. 



As several species of true lilies and allied flowers 

 grow in the plains around the Mount of Beatitudes, 



1 " Gardener's Chronicle," Sept. 18, 1875. 



