32 AGRICULTURAL AND BOTANICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PALESTINE. 



several harvestings, always by hand. With the prices for labor now 

 prevailing in the United States this would not pay. But, by means 

 of methodical selection, uniformity in the germination and maturing 

 of these plants could easily be obtained. 



I believe, therefore, that the chick-pea and the sesame deserve to 

 be introduced into the semiarid regions of the United States and 

 that they will furnish valuable aid to the farmer in the rotation of 

 crops. 



CEREALS. 



Barley. — After having discussed the number and value of the local 

 races in other crops, little remains to be said regarding barley and 

 wheat. There are, of course, in Palestine a great number of varieties 

 of these grains. There are barleys belonging to the three botanical 

 species Hordeum distichon, two-rowed barley; Hordeum vulgare, 

 ordinary six-rowed square-headed barley; and Hordeum hexasti- 

 chon, the true six-rowed or club barley. 



The species most extensively cultivated is Hordeum vulgare palli- 

 dum. Gaza barley belongs to this variety. It is cultivated in 

 southern Palestine on lands of Cenomanian or of Pleistocene origin 

 and where the annual rainfall is often not more than 10 or 12 inches. 

 It is much used for brewing in England. More than a million 

 dollars' worth is exported annually. 



The barley of the Ghor or that of the Jordan is heavier and has 

 the more regular grains characteristic of Hordeum hexastichon, the 

 true six-rowed barley. It is a barley adapted to arid regions and to 

 alkaline soils. The barleys cultivated on the vast steppes around 

 Damascus belong principally to Hordeum distichon, or two-rowed 

 barley. 



Wheat. — Though the greater number of the cultivated wheats of 

 Palestine belong to the group Triticumr durum, this is not the only 

 group represented. Some belonging to T. aestivum and to T. turgi- 

 dum are cultivated, especially in the northern part of the country. 

 There are a great number of kinds of Triticum durum. At the 

 little market of Haifa there are five or six different races. I shall 

 mention only the " Nursy," the " Zeriin," and the " Dalaika," named 

 after the villages which produce them. 



The first has a long and rather thin grain and is splendidly adapted 

 to low, humid, almost marshy soils. The wheat of Zeriin has a 

 large, full, white grain and is adapted to the hills of the Senonian 

 limestone formation. The wheat of Dalaika has a small, translucent 

 grain. It is a favorite in the markets and grows on soil of volcanic 

 origin, which is very fertile but subjected to such intense sunlight that 

 no other variety can stand it. 



Now, the three localities mentioned are hardly 10 miles from one 

 another, yet each one has its special race. What is the significance 



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