Mr. H. C. Hart says in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy:

"One of the most showy of all the flowers is Anemone coronaria, which Canon Tristram thinks is the real ' Lily of the Field.' Another familiar plant, Ranuculus Asiaticus, much resembles it, and a showy bulb is Sternbergia macrantha with its great golden blossoms.

"Jerusalem, 2400 feet above sea level, has a mild climate compared with most of the plateau sub-region. The Date Palm, though not a native nor able to ripen its fruit, can exist, one well-known tree illustrating the fact. The Prickly Pear is naturalized. Olives, Apricots, Grapes, Tomatoes and Figs thrive well around Jerusalem, but Oranges, Lemons, Bread and Water Melons will not, although ripening their fruit at Jaffa. Apples, Pears and Strawberries have all failed, while Nectarines and Pomegranates grow well. At Marsaba, in the courtyard of the convent, is an old Date tree said to have been planted A. D. 49°; the most evident point of interest seems to be the fact of its producing seedless or stoneless fruits".