nt and of Josephus, (Wars, i. 13, 2,) in the which a battle was
fought by those Jews who were aiding the Parthians on behalf of
Antigonus. No wonder that the loss of men was considerable among the
woods and thickets there. I note the accuracy of assigning the name
[Greek text] to this region, consisting as it does almost exclusively of
oak.

Besides these wide tracts of woodland, there are also the summit and
sides of Tabor, with woods along its north-eastern base.

And the district south and south-west of Hebron, in which, besides oak,
etc., pine timber is frequent,--I should rather say was, for of late
years it has been much devastated, and that too in an unmethodical
manner, to meet the increased requirements of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, etc.,
for fuel; nay, as I have been told, shiploads of it are constantly
conveyed away to Egypt, especially for works on the Suez Canal. In like
manner, in creeks of the sea between Acre and Bayroot, may frequently be
seen small vessels loading with wood for Egypt.

Throughout all the period of my experience in Palestine, I have had
reason to deplore destruction of the growing timber by charcoal-burners
in various provinces. I have seen the sides of whole hills in a blaze,
purposely kindled and then left by these men to perform the work with
least trouble to themselves: the Government takes no heed in the matter,
and no care is employed for propagation of new trees to succeed the
blackened ruin thus produced.

So it would appear that in ancient periods, when the land was well
peopled, the very wants of that population would, as in every other
country, keep down the growth of forests. In the military periods of
Roman and other invasions, large timber was required for offensive and
defensive operations; and in our generation, when the population there is
exceedingly diminished, the ignorance, the bad government, and the
wastefulness of uncivilisation, produce the same result of destroying or
hindering the increase of timber growth.

There are not many parts of Palestine more bare of timber trees than the
interval between Jerusalem and Bethlehem; yet there are old houses in the
latter town whose owners pride themselves on the strong, stout rafters
and planks they contain, of a quality known far around by the name of
Bethlehem oak, and there are persons still living who can remember
oak-trees near Solomon's pools.

That this neighbourhood was formerly well wooded is still proved b