“At Gaza the natives say that not a single olive-tree has been planted since the Moslem conquest of the land; and indeed, traditionally, they refer the oldest of the trees in the great avenue to the time of Alexander the Great. The name Rûmi, or “Greek,” sometimes applied to the olives, appears to be connected with this tradition. It seems possible that the first statement, that olives have not been planted at Gaza since the Moslem conquest, may be true, for the tree rarely dies, but when the trunk decays, fresh stems spring from the roots, and a group of olives takes the place of a single tree. The old olives are surrounded by an army of suckers […], and these, as the parent stem decays, grow strong and tall in its room, so that the grove perpetuates itself without any trouble on the part of the owners. The olive-tree is the glory of Palestine, and one of the chief sources of wealth to the peasantry;” (Claude Reignier Conder, R.E., Officer in command of the survey expedition, Tent Work in Palestine. A Record of Discovery and Adventure, with illustrations by J. W. Whymper, Published for the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund, New Edition, London: Richard bentley & Son, 1877 (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46641/46641-h/46641-h.htm)