5. The Alma Dagh constitutes a portion of that extensive mountain range which the ancient geographers called Taurus. The Alma Dagh is the ancient Annulus. It lies along the boundary of Syria and Ana tolia, and its crest is considered as the boundary between these two countries. The range occupies in width about 30 miles, of which tho larger portion belongs to Anatolia. The mountains are very precipitous, and can only be traversed by beasts of burden iu a few places. Thu most frequented road runs from Aleppo due north to Motels, and thence over the Alma Dagh to Kaisariyeb and Angora. Thera are some mountain roads farther west, which are noticed in the article Auaeua. These mountains are well wooded. Many thousand acres are covered with large cedars, and in other places there are fire and juniper trees.
Producic—Moat of these have been already incidentally mentioned. They comprise wheat, barley, dhurra, spelt, some rice, lentiles and other pulse, artichokes, melons, cucumbers, capsicum, potatoes. Among other products are—cotton, hemp, silk, madder, indigo, satnum, castor-oil, tobacco, rke. Of fruits there are figs, olives, mulberries, grapes, almonds, apricots, peaches, pomegranatee, oranges, lemons, dates, S:c. Vineyards are numerous in the mountainous districts and on the table-land of Judas& The wino of the Libanus is of excellent quality. Zakkom and sterile are grown in gardens. The most remarkable trees that are partly cultivated and partly grow wild are—eyeamore. carobs, Indian fig, mulberry, and pistachio-trees. The mountain forests, where there are any, consist of cedars, firs, and pines. On the tablelands grow dwarf•oaks, which produce the best galls known ; there are also the azorol, the walnut, the arbutus, the laurel, the tereblnth, and several kinds of junipers. A good deal of seernmony and sumach Is gathered about Mount Libanus.
The domestic animal. comprise horses, cattle, asses, sheep, and goat& Few horses are kept by the agricultural population ; but the wandering tribes, the Arabs, the Turkmans, and Kurds, pay great attention to the breed of horses. Tho Arabian horses are noted for beauty and speed. The number of cattle is comparatively small, and, except in a few places, of small size. The asses and mules are of a large breed, and they serve as aubetitutes for horses in the transport of goods. Sheep and goats are very numerous. In Northern Syria that specie* is kept which has the large broad tail. Camels are found everywhere, even on Mount Libanua. Buffaloes are only found on the sea-coast between Beyrut and Tarablous, and in the Wady Ohab.
Thom which are kept on the eea-coast are largo, and not inferior to those of Egypt.
Among wild animals, jackals, foxes, and hyaenas are frequent in some parts of the desert mountains. There are bears on Mount Libanus and Antilibanus. Wolves are only found in the forests of Alma Dagh. Wild boars are very numerous in many parts. Deer are met with on the Alma Dagh and near Mount Tor, and in the desert parts are several kinds of antelopes. In the mountains of the Belka the bouquetin (Capra ibex) is said to be very numerous. Hares and porcupines abound, and the Diptu jerboa is common in the southern deserts. There are several varieties of eagles. Partridges and pigeons abound in many parte, especially on Mount Libanus. In the moun tains east of the Southern Valley there are immense numbers of a bird called katta, which is considered to be the Tetra° Alkatta. Several kinds of fish and shell-fish are found in the Mediterranean, but not in large quantity; but a considerable fishery is carried ontin an inland lake of the Oheb, where a fish, called black fish (Dfacropteranotes niece), is so abundant, that annually, between October and January, a great quantity is taken, cured, and sent to remote places. This fish is from five to eight feet long. Fish are also very abundant in the Bohhaire Lake. The tortoise occurs frequently on the table-land of Jams, and turtles in the Barrada None of the snakes are considered to be poisonous. Bees are very abundant on Mount Libanus, whence wax and honey are exported. The rearing of silkworms is carried on to a great extent on the mountainous tracts near the coast, and silk constitutes the most important article of export from Syria. The locusts frequently lay waste the fields : the Arabs eat them, and salt them for There are no metals found in Syria except iron, which is worked in the Kearawan in Mar Hanna, sonth-east of Beyrut, where also coal has been discovered. Burckhardt found iron and quicksilver at the western base of Jebel-es-Sheik. Salt is got from the lake called El-Sabkh, and also from the sea-water of the Mediterranean. Iu the Tyh•Beui-Isracl, and at the southern extremity of the Dead Sea, there are mountains almost entirely composed of rock-salt. Bitumen, or asphaltum, is collected on the west shores of the Dead Sea. Tacitus (' v. 6) speaks of asphaltum being collected on the Dead Sea. It constitutes an article of export. In the northern Ober pieces of native sulphur are found at a small depth beneath the surface.