Flora and Vegetation is much more varied and luxuriant in the north than in the south. The fertility of the soil of Syria is extolled by many ancient writers as well as in the Bible. Even the Syrian "desert" consists, not of sand, but of excellent soil, which after the early rain produces a rich crop of grasses and flowering herbs, affordin.g most valuable pasture. The whole coast-district belongs to the region of the Mediterranean Flora, which ex tends around the basin of that sea, reaching in land as far as the lower hill country. This vegetation is, therefore, similar to that of Spain, Algeria and Sidly, with some modifica tions in the direction of Egypt. Among the principal products are corn, cotton, fruit in al most endless variety, indigo, sugar cane, grapes, oranges, mulberries, olives and tobacco. The tobacco especially of the Latalcia district facing Cyprus is noted for its powerful, aro matic flavor. What still remains of the his toric cedars of Lebanon is now found only at a solitary spot a few miles below Tripoli; far ther south, the rose of Sharon is still cultivated. Inland, as the higher ground of the interior is approached, the vegetation changes to that of the Oriental type, a great variety of species with a dry and thorny undergrowth and stunted trees. The vegetation of the Jordan Valley somewhat resembles that of Nubia on the verge of the tropics. Considerable quanti ties of raisins are grown round Damascus and Es-Salt. Pistachios are raised in northern Syria and nuts in central Syria, while in the desert near Damascus and east of the Jordan kali or saltwort is grown extensively. The gall apples produced by the oalcs of the north are largely exported to Europe for dyeing purposes. Other products are licorice, alizari or madder, the bark of the pomegranate tree (used in tan ning) and sumach, figs, citrons, pomegranates and almonds, cucumbers, onions, artichokes, egg-plant and trnflies. While the cedar and cy press is growing rare, the pine is common; tamarisk and the poplar willow are frequently met with, as well as the terebinth or turpentine tree and the Valonia oak.
Among wild animals the chief are the Syrian bear, the hyena, jackal, boar, panther and ounce. A connecting link between the domestic and the wild animals is formed in Syria by the dog and the cat. Each town and village is in fested with masterless dogs who subsist on the refuse. There are two species of the fox and the wolf is not uncommon in the Lebanon Mountains. Gazelles are hunted in eastern Syria. The nuinerous caverns harbor several varieties of bats; there arc four species of hares and numerous rodents, among them the graceful jumping mouse of the desert. The domestic animals include a small hut hardy race of horses; camels and mules are also used as beasts of burden, especially in the trade be tween the coast and the interior. Fat-tailed sheep are plentiful, but the transplanted An gora breed soon degenerates. Pigs are prac tically unknown. The domestic hen is very common, but ducks are only to be found in a wild state. Partridges occur on all the hills 'and quail in the cornfields of the plains. The eagle and vulture are found about the Dead Sea, while storks, cranes and becassins fre quent different localities. Among the few sing ing birds the nightingale (bulbul) is the most notable. Fish abounds in the Jordan and Lake Tiberias as well as in almost all the perennial streams. Both Syria and Palestine are rich in "creeping things" and insects. Crocodiles have been seen (though very rarely) in the marshes between Haifa and Kaisariyeh on the Palestine coast, where the climate resembles that of the Nile Delta. The common chameleon, the harm less little gecko and numerous snakes, many of them poisonous, are found, as well as the land tortoise and the small-tailed water tortoise. Among the mountains occnrs the dark-colored khardon of the Arabs, with its prickly tail and back. Mosquitos, wasps, wild bees, hornets, grasshoppers (or locusts) are common. Lo custs are the plague of farmers, often devour ing whole crops; they are eaten only by the Bedouins. North of Beirut sponges are found on the coast, where there is a large fishing in dustry.
The inhabitants of Syria present a conglomeration of races united by one com mon language, Arabic. They are mainly mem
bers of the great family named Semitic, a purely conventional term used to designate the group of peoples who are ethnographically al lied by their languages— those of a peculiar construction and similar in character to the Hebrew. The dwellers of Syria consist chiefly of descendants of the ancient Syrians, Arabs, Turks, Greeks and Jews; among the most cel ebrated tribes are the mysterious Druses and Maronites, while several other nomadiC tribes such as the Turkomans, dwell in the north; Kurds, on the banks of the Euphrates, and Bedouins in the Syrian Desert. Greeks, Ro mans and European crusaders have all blended with the ancient Semitic stock to produce the Syrians of to-day.
From the most remote times Syria was in habited by Semitic stock; the Philistines and Hittites were the only exceptions. The former, whatever their origin, were soon merged with the primmval inhabitants, adopting both lan guage and religion. In like manner the non Semitic branch of the Hittites was absorbed. The Arab invasion in the 7th century intro duced a new factor. All the people of Syria, as. well as Egypt and Mesopotamia, became umfied by a vigorous conquering race which left an ineradicable mark on the language and culture of the Christian and Jewish natives, to whom they were racially- related, though of a different faith —Islam. That religion was even an eclectic compound of popular Christianity and Judaism. Their language, Arabic, was most properly spoken in all Syria, while an Arabic Christian rlynasty had existed in Damas cus z:ven before the invasion. These vigorous sons of the desert brought about a double proc ess of assimilation. They learned eagerly from the natives, from the Persians and the Greeks. They were apt pupils who in many cases were not only able to improve upon the wisdom of their teachers, but also to absorb and mold all this foreign learning into the Arabic lan guage, even to the extent of applying Arabic equivalents for the technical words of science or philosophy instead of using the Greek forms. That process of acclimatizing foreign ideas and culture is still prevalent among Syrian writers to-day. The Mohammedan invaders absorbed many of the old customs and religious tradi tions of the soil and adopted the old shrines of saints in different communities and gave them Mohammedan names. Through their language they impressed their own poetry, national heroes and saints upon the people with the result that the most modern Syrian writers echo the voices and thoughts of Arabian bards and philosophers. In the Syria of to-day the Chris tions, Mohammedans and Jewspossess a com mon heritage of proverbs, legendS, parables and superstitions. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that the modern Syrians are one people with the same fundamental outlook on life, despite their different religions and sects, characteris tics, clannish traits and various dialects. In this happy blending of races the natural endow ments of the people are favorably exemplified by the Christian section of the population. They form a highly intelligent people with a remark able capacity for adopting European ideas. The admixture of Greek and Arabic blood seems not to have impaired the good qualities of their Phoenician and Aram= ancestors. The inhabitants of the coast districts are still Phoe nicians in their enterprising spirit, commercial skill and love of travel. In Marseilles, Liver pool and Manchester, Syrian merchants are set tled who promote the interests of their native land, extending their trading relations to Scan dinavia and North America. Intelligent indus try is responsible for the prosperous condition of the Beirut Christians. Here proverty is rare, and everyone is engaged in some branch of in dustry or trade. Family life is simple and patriarchal. The women are thrifty housewives and devoted to their families, associating little with the outside world. The Druses and Turk omans (qq.v.) are alien races; the old Syriac or Arainaic tongue is spoken only by the Nestor ians of Kurdistan ; the Turkish officials and soldiers under the old regime spoke their own language.