![]() The husbandman derived from his orchards and vineyards abundant crops of olives, figs, pomegranates, and grapes. The arable land, much of which now lies fallow, was all cultivated and amply rewarded the tiller. ![]() The cedar-forests of Lebanon had a world-wide reputation the slopes of Hermon and the mountains of Galaad were covered with luxuriant pine woods oak forests were the distinctive feature of Basan, throughout Ephraim clumps of terebinths dotted the land, while extensive palm groves were both the ornament and wealth of the Jordan Valley. The hill-country of Juda and the Negeb are, as formerly, the grazing lands of the Judean herds, yet groves, woods, and forest flourished everywhere, few traces of which remain. Over 3000 species of Palestinian flora are known to exist, but the Holy Land of our day can give only an imperfect idea of what it was in Biblical times. Near the perennial snows of the northern peaks grow the familiar plants of Alpine and sub-Alpine regions the highlands of Palestine and the eastern slopes of the northern ranges produce the Oriental vegetation of the steppes whereas the peculiar climate conditions prevailing along the Ghôr and about the Dead Sea favour a sub-tropical flora, characterized by species resembling those which thrive in Nubia and Abyssinia. The vegetation along the west coast, like that of Spain, southern Italy, Sicily, and Algeria, is composed of characteristic species of Mediterranean flora. In addition to these factors, variations of climate consequent on change of altitude and geographical position cause forms of vegetation which elsewhere grow far apart to thrive side by side within the narrow limits of Palestine. The soil is now of clay, now of clay mixed with lime, farther on of sand the surface rock is soft limestone, and basalt. Sinuous valleys furrow the highland, causing an incredible variation in topography hence, cultivated land lies almost side by side with patches of desert. First the differences of elevation for between Lebanon, 10,000 feet above sea level, and the shores of the Dead Sea, 1285 feet below the Mediterranean, every gradation of altitude is to be found, within less than 200 miles. This glowing description, sketched exclusively from an utilitarian point of view, was far from doing justice to the wonderful variety of the country's productions, to which several causes contributed. When Moses spoke to the people about the Land of Promise, he described it as a "land of hills and plains" ( Deuteronomy 11:11), "a good land, of brooks and of waters, and of fountains: in the plains of which and the hills deep rivers break out: a land of wheat, and barley, and vineyards, wherein fig-trees and pomegranates, and oliveyards grow: a land of oil and honey" ( Deuteronomy 8:7-8). Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more all for only $19.99. Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download.
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