fabulous amount. But the production of first necessity in Babylonia
was the date-palm, which flourished in great abundance throughout the
region, and probably furnished the chief food of the greater portion
of the inhabitants. The various uses to which it was applied have been
stated in the first volume, where a representation of its mode of growth
has been also given.

In the adjoining country of Susiana, or at any rate in the alluvial
portion of it, the principal products of the earth seem to have been
nearly the same as in Babylonia, while the fecundity of the soil was but
little less. Wheat and barley returned to the sower a hundred or even
two hundred fold. The date-palm grew plentifully, more especially in the
vicinity of the towns. Other trees also were common, as probably konars,
acacias, and poplars, which are still found scattered in tolerable
abundance over the plain country. The neighboring mountains could
furnish good timber of various kinds; but it appears that the palm was
the tree chiefly used for building. If we may judge the past by
the present, we may further suppose that Susiana produced fruits in
abundance; for modern travellers tell us that there is not a fruit known
in Persia which does not thrive in the province of Khuzistan.

Along the Euphrates valley to a considerable distance--at least as
far as Anah (or Hena)--the character of the country resembles that of
Babylonia and Susiana, and the products cannot have been very different.
About Anah the date-palm begins to fail, and the olive first makes its
appearance. Further up a chief fruit is the mulberry. Still higher, in
northern Mesopotamia, the mulberry is comparatively rare, but its
place is supplied by the walnut, the vine, and the pistachio-nut.
This district produces also good crops of grain, and grows oranges,
pomegranates, and the commoner kinds of fruit abundantly.