18 AGRICULTURAL AND BOTANICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PALESTINE. 



article of commerce, and I shall later write a special article on its 

 preparation and uses. Here I wish only to say that, at my sug- 

 gestion, some experiments in its manufacture were made during 

 the present year in the Santa Clara Valley, California, and with 

 a gratifying degree of success. It is therefore not impossible that 

 the utilization of " slab " apricots in making this paste may prove 

 of importance, especially during years when there is a large per- 

 centage of low-grade fruit. This may result in the establishment 

 of a new industry for the utilization of apricots, the product being 

 shipped to the mining districts. 



QUINCES. 



The quince is cultivated in different regions and under various 

 conditions of soil and climate. We have some varieties adapted to 

 irrigated orchards only; others that yield fruit on the cool, but dry, 

 plateaus of Samaria. Some varieties have fruit edible when ripe; 

 others are always astringent. All yield a beautiful ruby-colored 

 jelly of a very fine flavor. 



POMEGRANATES. 



Pomegranates are extensively cultivated in Syria and Palestine, 

 although the crop is not one of great commercial importance. They 

 grow in wild thickets, having escaped from cultivation, and are very 

 drought resistant. Pomegranates are also cultivated in almost all 

 orchards, both with and without irrigation. They comprise two 

 groups, the acid fruited and the sweet fruited. The latter includes 

 those fruits with large, hard seeds and the form called " Malissi," or 

 seedless. As a matter of fact they have seeds, but these are small and 

 thin shelled. There are a great number of races among the " Malissi." 

 The " Bint-el-Bascha " (daughter of the pascha) grows at Gaza, in 

 southern Palestine, at sea level. This name is given by the Arabs to 

 different fruits or products of special excellence. These varieties are 

 found on deep, Quaternary soil and they require irrigation. They 

 have been famous from ancient times and are exported to Egypt and 

 other lands. Er-Reineh, a christian village in lower Galilee, be- 

 tween Nazareth and Tiberias, is also known as Um-er-Ruman 

 (mother of the pomegranate), because so many varieties of such 

 excellent quality are produced there. They grow at 1,000 to 1,300 

 feet altitude in calcareous soils. The pomegranates of Jericho and 

 the oases are much liked. They grow readily in very alkaline soils. 



We now come to two characteristically oriental crops, grown there 

 for centuries and always of great importance, viz, the olive and 

 the fig. 



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