sage already quoted from Josephus (see page 4), in order to prove that it was well known in Palestine in his day. Dr. Kitto in his Physical History of Palestine (p. 250), states that "the walnut-tree sometimes joins with the oak to overshadow the streams beyond Jordan."

OLIVE-TREE. The olive ranked among the most valued productions of the Land of Promise. As such it is noticed in the book of Deuteronomy, where Moses sets out in detail the expected blessings; it was "a land of oil olive" (viii. 8); "a land wherein they should have olive-trees which they had not planted" (vi. 11); and when he would impress them with a sense of Divine wrath he says:-"Thou shalt have olive-trees

throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit" (xxviii. 40).

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The olive appears to have grown in most parts of the country, but the most favoured locality in respect to it was prophetically assigned to the tribe of Asher, of whom Moses predicts :- "Let him dip his foot in oil" (Deut. xxxiii. 24). The correctness of this description is vindicated by the following description of that district in modern times:- "The sides, and even the summits (of these hills), were sprinkled over with vigorous olive-trees, showing how fertile and how suitable for the cultivation of the olive, this range must have been in former days. We were now in the tribe of Asher, and the prophetic blessing pronounced upon Asher was, 'Let him dip his foot in oil.' His hills appear to be suitable neither for the vine nor for pasture, but for the olive, whose berries yield the finest oil. To this, also, as well as to Asher's luxuriant plains in the south of his possession, the words of Jacob may refer: 'out of Asher his bread shall be fat.'"-Narrative of a Mission of Inquiry to the Jews, p. 265.

The most characteristic feature in the appearance of the olive is its evergreen foliage, bespeaking freshness and vigour:-"I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God" (Psa. lii. 8); "The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree" (Jer. xi. 16); "His beauty shall be as the olive-tree" (Hos. xiv. 6). On this point we quote in illustration the following passage:We

entered upon the grove of olives (near Gaza). There is something strongly indicative of health and vigour in the fresh look of a flourishing olive-tree, but especially when a grove of them is seen together, and the sun shining on their glossy leaves. The trunk is of a moderate height, and gnarled in a picturesque manner; the foliage is of a deep and peculiar green, and under a passing breeze the uppermost leaves turn round, and

show a fine silvery hue. It is not merely the evergreen verdure of the tree that is referred to (in Scripture), but its health and vigour. Where could we find a better emblem of the Church in a flourishing condition than just such a grove of olives as this, with the peaceful notes of the turtle poured forth in the midst, and the sun's living light over all, like the Sun of Righteousness shining over His peaceful Church!" -Narrative of a Mission of Inquiry to the Jews, pp. 105, 106.

Olive-trees were kept in enclosures. We have an instance of one such garden in the spot where our Saviour underwent His bitter agony. The name of Gethsemane itself is supposed to indicate an oil-press, and the position of the garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives makes it further probable that olive-trees were cultivated there. Some of the trees indeed are still in existence in the supposed site of the garden :-The eight olive-trees in the garden of Gethsemane are very large and very old, but their branches are still strong and vigorous. One of them we measured, and found to be nearly eight yards in girth round the lower part of the trunk. Some of them are hollow with age, but filled up with earth, and most have heaps of stones gathered round their roots.”—Mission of Inquiry, p. 161.

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Besides the olive-trees in the spot alluded to, numerous trees are scattered over the whole side of the Mount of Olives, many of which are of great antiquity.

The olive-tree was chiefly valued for its oil. For making this the fruit was taken off from the tree before it was quite ripe, either by shaking the tree, or by gently striking the sprays. To this proceeding allusion is made in Isa. xvii. 6:- "As the shaking of an olivetree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel." The juice was expressed from the fruit either by beating it:-" Comand that they bring thee pure oil beaten for the

light" (Exod. xxvi. 20), by which means the finest quality of oil was obtained; or, secondly, by treading the fruit:- "Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil" (Mic. vi. 15); or, lastly, by the use of a press, as implied in the names Gath and Gethsemane. Presses may still be occasionally seen :— "An old olive-press was lying by the road-side (towards Saphet). A wooden screw and vice seemed intended to press a large stone upon the olives, while a stone-trough beneath received the oil."-Mission of Inquiry, p. 269.

The olive-branch has been associated with the ideas of peace and prosperity from the day that the dove

returned to Noah in the ark:- "and lo, in her mouth

was an olive-leaf plucked off" (Gen. viii. 11).

The treatment of the tree in modern times is referred

to in the following passage:- "The road lay through a wood of olive-trees. Every olive-tree here is worth from fifteen to twenty piastres. The soil in which the trees grow is regularly ploughed, but nothing is sown between the trees, as it is found that any other vegetation diminishes the quantity of olives. The ground round the stem is covered to the height of two or three feet with earth, to prevent the sun from hurting the roots, and to give it the full benefit of the rains."BURCKHARDT's Syria, p. 172.