cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第47章

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made；　in　the　only　two　metalled　highways　that　the　engineers　have
constructed　in　Cyprus；　〃that　everything　must　be　English；〃　thus　we　have
two　costly　roads　of　great　width　from　Larnaca　to　Lefkosia；　and　from
Limasol　to　Platraes；　which　are　entirely　unsuitable　to　the　requirements
of　the　country；　and　as　there　are　no　branch　roads　in　communication；　the
people　are　hardly　benefited；　as　they　cannot　reach　the　main　artery　with
wheeled　conveyances。　The　military　road　from　Limasol　might　as　well　be　a
railway　without　any　branch　traffic；　as　it　is　entirely　independent　of
other　roads：　thus；　should　carts　be　established　to　convey　the　wine　of　the
district　to　Limasol；　they　must　be　loaded　by　mules　that　will　bring　the
produce　from　the　roadless　vineyards　in　the　usual　manner　by　goat…skins；
and　the　wine　will　be　tainted　as　before。　A　network　of　cheap　useful
cart…tracks　can　be　easily　made　throughout　the　wine　districts；　and　they
MUST　be　made　before　any　improvement　in　the　quality　of　the　wines　can　take
place。　The　goat…skins　and　the　tarred　jars　must　be　thrown　aside　before
any　change　can　be　expected：　these　cannot　become　obsolete　until　the
necessary　roads　for　the　conveyance　of　casks　shall　be　completed。

If　we　regard　the　present　position　of　the　vine…grower；　we　must　advise
him　thus：〃The　first　necessity　is　to　improve　your　QUALITY；　and　thus
ensure　a　higher　price。　It　costs　no　more　either　in　labour　or　in　plant　to
produce　a　good　wine　than　to　continue　your　present　rude　method　of
production。　You　may　double　the　value　of　your　wine　by　an　improved　system；
without　adding　materially　to　your　expenses；　you　will　then　have　a　large
margin　for　profit；　which　will　increase　in　the　same　ratio　as　the　quality
of　your　wine。〃

The　grower　will　reply；　〃We　must　have　roads　for　carts　if　we　are　to
substitute　barrels　for　goat…skins。　So　long　as　the　mule…paths　are　our
only　routes　we　must　adhere　to　the　skins；　which　we　acknowledge　are
destructive　to　the　quality　of　the　wine　and　reduce　our　profits。　Give　us
roads。〃

This　is　a　first　necessity；　and　it　is　simply　ridiculous　to　preach　reforms
of　quality　to　the　cultivators　so　long　as　the　present　savage　country
remains　roadless。　It　is　the　first　duty　of　the　government　to　open　the
entire　wine　district　by　a　carefully　devised　system　of　communication：　for
which　a　highway　rate　could　be　established　for　repairs。

If　this　simple　work　shall　be　accomplished　the　goat…skins　will　disappear；
or　should　some　cultivators　cling　to　the　ancient　nuisance；　a　tax　could　be
levied　specially　upon　wine　skins；　which　would　ensure　their　immediate
abolition。　A　new　trade　would　at　once　be　introduced　to　Cyprus　in　the
importation　of　staves　for　casks；　and　the　necessary　coopers。　The　huge
jars　that　are　only　suggestive　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　would　be　used　as
water…tanks；　and　the　wine　would　ripen　in　casks　of　several　hundred
gallons；　and　be　racked　off　by　taps　at　successive　intervals　when　clear。
The　first　deposit　of　tannin　and　fixed　albumen　would　remain　at　the　bottom
of　No。　1　vat；　the　second　deposit　after　racking　in　No。　2；　and　the　wine
which　is　now　an　astringent；　cloudy；　and　muddy　mixture　of　impurities；
would　leave　the　vine…grower's　store　bright；　and　fit　for　the　merchant's
vats　in　Limasol；　and　command　a　more　than　double　price。　This　is　a　matter
of　certainty　and　not　conjecture。　Should　the　black　wines　be　carefully
manufactured；　they　will　be　extensively　used　for　mixing　with　thin　French
wines；　as　they　generally　possess　strength　and　body　in　large　proportion
to　their　price。

It　will　be　universally　agreed　that　the　making　of　the　roads　is　the　first
necessity；　but　if　the　island　is　in　such　financial　misery　that　so
important　a　step　must　be　deferred；　the　grievances　of　the　vine…growers
should　be　immediately　considered。　The　first　question　to　the　cultivator
would　be；　〃What　reforms　do　you　yourself　suggest？〃　He　replies；　〃Fix　an
annual　rate　per　donum；　and　leave　us　free　to　send　our　wine　wherever　we
choose；　without　the　abominable　vexations　and　delays　caused　by　the
present　arbitrary　system；　let　the　tax　per　donum　include　every　charge　for
which　we　shall　be　liable：　we　shall　then　know　at　once　the　limit　of　our
liability。〃　I　cannot　see　any　practical　difficulty　in　such　an
arrangement；　a　highway　rate　might　be　an　extra　when　the　roads　should　be
completed。　A　small　export　duty　at　the　various　ports　would　become　a
material　source　of　increase　to　the　revenue　when　the　wine　trade　became
invigorated　and　extended　by　government　encouragement；　and　although　such
a　duty　would　indirectly　affect　the　grower　in　the　price　which　the
merchant　would　pay　for　the　new　wine；　it　would　be　a　collateral　tax　that
would　not　be　felt　individually。

Unless　the　present　oppressive　system　shall　be　abolished　the　wine　trade
of　Cyprus　will　languish；　and　an　industry　that　may　be　profitably　extended
to　an　important　degree　will　share　the　fate　of　a　commercial　and
agricultural　depression　which　has　resulted　from　the　vague　conditions　of
the　British　occupation；　and　from　which　no　recovery　can　be　expected　until
confidence　in　the　future　prospects　of　the　island　shall　be　established。



CHAPTER　XI。

FROM　LIMASOL　TO　THE　MOUNTAINS。

The　barley　harvest　was　in　active　operation；　and　the　fields　around　our
camp　were　crowded　with　men；　women；　and　children；　all　hard　at　work；　but
producing　small　results　compared　with　an　equal　expenditure　of　European
labour。　Their　sickles　were　large　and　good；　but　a　great　proportion　of　the
crops　were　either　broken　off　by　hand　or　were　dragged　out　by　the　roots；
and　the　earth　that　adhered　was　carelessly　dusted　off　by　a　blow　against
the　reaper's　boots。　In　this　dry　climate　there　was　no　necessity　for
piling　the　sheaves；　but　the　small　bundles　were　at　once　laden　upon
donkeys　and　also　conveyed　in　the　two…wheeled　carts　to　the　threshing…
ground；　upon　which　it　would　remain　until　valued　for　taxation　by　the
government　official。　In　the　dry　atmosphere　of　Cyprus；　Syria；　Egypt；　&c。；
the　straw　breaks　easily；　and　beneath　the　sharp　flints　of　the　ancient
threshing…harrow　in　present　use　is　quickly　reduced　to　the　coarse　chaff
known　as　〃tibbin；〃　which　forms　the　staple　article　of　food　for　horses　and
all　cattle。　Taking　advantage　of　the　numbers　of　people　congregated　in　the
fields；　some　itinerant　gipsies　with　a　monkey　and　performing　bears　were
camped　beneath　the　caroub…trees；　about　half　a　mile　from　our　position。
The　bears　were　the　Syrian　variety。　Throughout　Cyprus　the　gipsies　are
known　as　tinners　of　pots　and　makers　of　wooden　spoons；　which　seems　to　be
the　normal　occupation　of　their　tribe　throughout　the　world；　they　have
also　a　character　for　a　peculiar　attachment　to　fowls　and　any　other　small
matters　that　belong　to　private　individuals　which　may　be　met　with　during
their　wanderings。

The　beans　of　the　caroub…trees　were　already　large；　and　promised　a　good
crop　in　spite　of　the　dry　weather。　The　roots　of　these　evergreens
penetrate　to　a　great　depth；　and　obtain　nourishment　from　beneath　when　the
surface　soil　is　perished　by　drought。　I　have　never　seen　a　caroub
overthrown　by　the　wind；　although　the　extremely　large　head　that　is　at　all
seasons　covered　with　leaves　must　offer　a　great　resistance。　The　fruit　of
this　tree　（Ceratonia　siliqua）　is　already　an　important　export　from
Cyprus；　and　if　the　cultivation　is　encouraged　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　an
enormous　extension　of　the　trade。　The　tree　is　indigenous　to　the　island；
but　in　its　wild　state　is　unproductive；　it　simply　requires　grafting　to
ensure　a　crop。　The　wild　young　trees　are　generally　transplanted　into　the
desired　positions；　and　then　grafted　from　the　cultivated　species；　but
there　is　no　reason　why　they　should　not　be　grafted　in　situ。　The　olives；
which　are　also　indigenous；　might　be　treated　in　a　similar　manner　to
render　the　crown…lands　productive；　which　are　now　mere　jungles　of　shrubs
and　trees　in　their　natural　state。　I　shall　reserve　further　remarks　upon
this　subject　for　a　chapter　specially　devoted　to　〃Woods　and　Forests。〃

The　caroub　at　present　commands　an　extensive　market。　The　fruit　is　usually
known　commercially　as　the　〃locust…bean；〃　the　taste　is　a　compound　of
treacle　and　Spanish　liquorice；　and　would　generally　be　appreciated　by
children；　monkeys；　pigs；　and　cattle。　The　Cassia　fistula　of　Ceylon
resembles　it　somewhat　in　flavour；　but　the　Ceratonia　siliqua　is　free　from
the　medicinal　properties　of　the　former　tree。　Since　the　government
monopoly　was　abolished　in　1827　the　trade　has　received　an　impetus；　and
this　extension　due　to　freedom　is　an　example　to　our　present　government　in
their　relations　to　the　oppressive　system　connected　with　the　wine　trade。

According　to　the　consular　reports　the　crop　of　1872　was　about　10；000
tons；　which　sold　free　on　board　at　4　pounds　10　shillings　per　ton。　At　that
time　the　chief　purchaser　was　Russia；　and　the　locust…beans　were　exported
to　various　positions　upon　the　Black　Sea。　In　1875　England　became　a　large
consumer；　and　I　believe　the　well…known　〃Thorley's　Patent　Food　for
Cattle〃　contains　a　considerable　amount　of　this　nutritive　substance。　The
influence　upon　the　market　of　a　demand　from　England　raised　the　exports　in
1875　to　18；000　tons。　A　fluctuation　took　place　in　1876；　and　although　the
crop　was　deficient；　the　prices　fell　to　2　pounds　13　shillings　6　pence　per
ton　free　on　board。　This　reaction　was　probably　due　to　the　large　stocks　on
hand　in　England；　purchased　at　a　high　rate；　from　4　pounds　10　shillings　to
5　pounds　per　ton；　which　had　driven　Russian　competition　out　of　the
market；　therefore　the　1876　gathering　found　but　few　purchasers。　In　1877
the　yield　was　13；500　tons；　and　the　price　rose　from　2　pounds　13　shillings
6　pence　to　3　pounds　5　shillings　and　at　length　to　4　pounds　per　ton；　free
on　board。

The　average　produce　of　a　tree；　taking　the　mean　of　all　sizes；　would　be
about　84　lbs。　or　three…quarters　of　a　hundredweight；　allowing　the　mean
crop　of　five　years　to　be　13；000　tons；　this　would　give　the　number　of
productive　trees　in　Cyprus　as　346；666；　or　in　round　numbers　350；000；
which；　at　eight　trees　to　the　acre　=　43；750　acres　of　caroub…trees。　I　do
not　think　as　a　rule　that　a　larger　number　than　eight　trees　are　to　be
found　upon　an　acre；　as　it　is　the　custom　to　cultivate　cereals　upon　the
same　ground；　therefore　the　caroubs　are　thinly　planted。　This　calculation
cannot　be　accepted　as　exhibiting　the　actual　position　of　the　trees；　as　a
very　large　proportion　are　not　planted　in　order；　but　grow　independently
and　promiscuously；　and　are　productive　simply　as　originally　wild　trees
that　have　been　grafted。　Should　Cyprus　belong　bona…fide　to　England；
machinery　for　crushing　and　pressing　the　locust…beans　will　be　established
on　the　spot；　which；　by　compressing　the　bulk；　will　reduce　the　freight　and
materially　lessen　the　price　when　delivered　in　England。　In　travelling
through　Cyprus　nothing　strikes　the　observation　of　the　traveller　more
forcibly　than　the　neglect　of　tree…planting。　The　caroub　is　an　indigenous
production　volunteering　its　services　to　man；　and　producing　an　important
revenue；　there　are　immense　tracts　of　land　which　by　their　rocky　nature
are　unfit　for　the　general　purposes　of　husbandry；　at　the　same　time　the
rich　soil　in　the　interstices　is　eminently　adapted　for　the　cultivation　of
the　caroub。　Such　lands　are　at　the　present　moment　abandoned　to　a　growth
of　jungle；　among　which　this　irrepressible　tree　dominates　all　other
vegetation；　but　in　its　wild　state　remains