Newspaper Page Text
Digging deep
Israel’s water is precious as oil
Kibbutz members at Ein Gedi coax crops from the stony desert with
their portable sprinklin( system.
by Gunther Lawrence
A recent occurence in the Negev
tells a great deal about Israel's
agriculture in its 30th Anniversary
Year. Some months ago, in the
course of drilling for oil near
Beersheba, an Israeli exploration
crew discovered a rather large pool
of water several hundred meters
underground.
An American drilling crew in the
same circumstance would depart
in frustration. But in Israel, water
is almost as precious as the so-
called liquid gold. So when the oil
crew pulled out, Israeli
agricultural scientists moved in.
It was they who discovered the
extent of the find—200-billion
cubic meters of water dating back
from the ice age, enough water to
supply Israel’s total water needs at
present rates for a hundred years to
come! But it was brackish, about
half as saline as sea water, and deep
underground. What to do with it?
From past experience, Israeli
agronomists had learned that some
plants can thrive on brackish
water; they have themselves
produced a number of new
varieties that can do so. As a result,
some of the underground water
found in the Negev is already being
used economically to grow cotton,
tomatoes and avocados, for
example.
In the search for more
widespread use of the under
ground water, Israeli agronomists
are focusing on two trees which
have a taste for salt. One is the
pistachio, and the other a little
known tree called the jujube.
Generations of American
moviegoers may remember the
chewy candies sold at theater
counters as jujubes. But the jujube
tree has a broader potential. It
produces a gum which is widely
used as a base for cosmetics. This
could become a new commercial
crop for Israeli agriculture.
In a way, the story of the
underground water discovery and
the plan to use it dramatize what
has been happening to Israel’s
agriculture in the years since the
Jewish State was proclaimed.
Because Israel’s land resources
were sparse and its water resources
even more scarce, major efforts
have been made on making the
most of what exists.
Science and infinite care—
backed by investment funds
derived from the annual sale of
Israel Bonds—have boosted
Israel’s agricultural production
from $73 million in 1948 to $1.1
billion in 1977, an increase of 15
times over. The investment funds
for this astounding growth, as for
the other aspects of Israel’s
economic development, are the
core of the Israel Bond program.
Israel Bond dollars also are
channeled toward roads,
communications, irrigation,
electric power, transport, and
other facilities to promote
successful growth in commerce,
industry, trade, and jobs for
immigrants from around the
globe.
Today, as Israel looks fora new
spurt of production for export, it
does so with full confidence in its
agriculturists. It was Israeli
-ie
tat
meetup iajHv\
\ clipboard
\jyfso~M
i avd
\pevolsl
I2.it*r '
They’ve Arrived
The Largest Co/lection
of
Jewish New Year
Card Albums
in Atlanta!
10% Discount
through Aug. 15 on
Personalized New Year Cards.
As always 10% OFF on Bar, Bat
Mitzvah & Wedding Invitations.
the
/Pafiel
iPai/oui
Mon -Fri. 10 00 6 00
Sat 10:00-5:00
5207 Buford Hwy., Pinetree Plaza
451-9611
scientists who developed the
practice of drip irrigation from
perforated plastic pipes. This
technique brought precious water
to the roots of every growing plant
instead of wasting it through
sprinkling into the air.
To keep this moisture in the soil,
they covered the ground with
plastic sheeting. Where that
method was not applicable, Israel’s
agriculturists have turned to
painting cotton, beets, and melon
leaves with a kaolin-base paint to
retard the evaporationof water.
The net result is that 80 percent
of Israel’s irrigation water
penetrates the soil, compared to 50
percent in the U.S. and 25 percent
in India. Israel’s agriculture is
clearly ahead of the field in
preserving available water for use.
Every aspect of Israel’s
agricultural development, and not
only water supply, has been
handled with the same scientific
care. Among the new plant
varieties developed to accommo
date to special environmental
conditions is the Arava tomato, a
succulent red fruit which gained
great popularity on the English
market. The saltier the water that
nourishes it, the sweeter the
tomato grows. New strains of
avocados, which grow well when
suppled with relatively saline
water, have also been developed.
As overseas requests for these
fruits grew, Israel’s scientists
managed to breed varieties which
ripen at different times, thus
lengthening the harvest season.
Jaffa oranges appear on
virtually every table in Western
Europe. Israeli avocados, melons,
tomatoes, strawberries are a staple
on the world market. Israel even
send tulips to Holland!
Its food imports are a matter of
choice. To please the palante is not
the primary purpose of importing
food. “What we are really
importing,” says Professor
Yehoash Vaadya, director of the
Agricultural Ministry’s research
jmAmuwwQ
m
SUMMER LAMP
SALE!
Residential & Commercial
Lighting
30 Pharr Rd N. W
At rasa From The
Buckhead Post Office
Weekdays 9:00 - 5:30
Saturday 10 00 - 300
261-5220
organization, “is water.” His
explanation: The major Israeli
food import is grain to feed
livestock. Grain requires so much
water that by not growing it, Israel,
in effect, is doubling its water
supply.
Today, as Israel celebrates its
30th Anniversary, the focus in
agriculture as in industry, is on
production for export in order to
reduce Israel's adverse balance of
payments and help curb the high
rate of inflation.
(In Cheshire Square)
open 7 days week
Lunch 11:30 a.m-2:30 p.m.
Dinner 6:30 p.m.-ll:30 p.m.
GOODBUY'S INC.
1170LaVista Road, Atlanta. Ga Next to Solo Foods
HOURS: 10a.m. to 6 p.m Friday 9 p.m Sundays 12-6
Warehouse Sale of Gifts
50 80%0FF A RARE TREAT
3000 BRAND NEW
Gift Show Samples
WHILE COME
THEY LAST EARLY
'INNER (K
ENNIS 1
HD
NOW APPEARING
ACADEMY & TONY AWARD WINNER
SANDY DENNIS
starring in
"TWO FOR
EVENING PERFORMANCES TUES.-SAT
Doors open 6:30 for dinner & cocktails, show 8:20
SUNDAY EVENING:
Doors open 6:00 for dinner & cocktails, show 7:30
AND A SUPER
SUNDAY BRUNCH MATINEE
Doors open 12:00 for brunch & cocktails, show 1.30
Also, Matinee, Wed. Aug. 9th
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 262-1552
Chef Heinz brings YOU
THE “COOL” ONES
For your mid-summer enjoyment
From our menu
Fresh Fruit Platter
Chicken salad Singapore,
Sesame seed and honey dressing
Earth and Sea Platter
A Dining Experience
With International Flair
The Brass Key Restaurant
Peachtree Battle Center
2355 Peachtree Rd. - Reservations 233-3202
Brunei^ Saturday 12:00 Noon - 3 p.m.
Lunch „ Dinner
Mon. - Fri. Mon ' Thurs Fri. & Sat
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.6:00 - 11,00 p.m 6:00 - 12 Midnight
Page 9 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE August 4, 197S
