cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第60部分

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valonia；　which　forms　an　important　article　of　trade；　and　is　largely　used
in　England　by　the　tanner。　This　cup　of　the　acorn　of　the　Quercus　aegilops
is　extremely　rich　in　tannin；　and　ranges　in　price　from　20　to　30　pounds
sterling　per　ton　delivered　in　an　English　port。　It　is　exported　largely
from　the　Levant；　and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　its　introduction　to
Cyprus　would　eventually　supply　a　new　source　of　revenue。

The　climate　and　soil　of　the　Troodos　mountains　would　be　highly　favourable
to　the　cork…tree；*　which　would　after　thirty　or　forty　years　become
extremely　valuable。　The　box　might　be　introduced　from　the　mountains　of
Spain；　also　the　Spanish　chestnut；　which　for　building　purposes　is
invaluable；　as　not　only　practically　imperishable；　but　fire…proof。　It　is
not　generally　known　that　the　wood　of　the　Spanish　chestnut　is　so
uninflammable　that　it　requires　the　aid　of　other　fuel　to　consume　it　by
fire；　it　might　be　used　with　great　advantage　in　massive　logs　for　upright
pillars；　to　support　beams　of　similar　wood　in　warehouses。

（*The　cork　oak　is　mentioned　in　some　works　on　Cyprus　as　indigenous　to　the
island；　this　is　a　mistake。　The　ilex　is　plentiful；　but　not　the　cork…tree。）

Although　the　walnut　cannot　be　classed　with　forest…trees　indigenous　to
Cyprus；　it　flourishes　abundantly　at　a　high　elevation；　ranging　from　about
2500　to　5000　feet　above　the　sea。　At　Trooditissa　monastery　there　are
trees　that　were　planted　by　the　hands　of　the　old　monk；　my　informant；　only
twenty　years　ago；　which　are　equal　in　size　to　a　growth　of　fifty　years　in
England。　The　planting　of　walnuts　should　certainly　be　encouraged；　as　the
wood　is　extremely　valuable；　at　the　same　time　that　the　crop　yields　an
annual　revenue。

The　preservation　and　extension　of　the　woods　and　forests　throughout　the
mountainous　districts　of　Cyprus　are　a　simple　affair；　which　only　requires
capital　and　common　sense　combined　with　the　usual　necessary　experience。
There　are　other　portions　of　the　island　which　require　a　different
treatment。

It　is　the　fashion　to　accredit　every　portion　of　Cyprus　as　tree…bearing　in
its　early　history；　but　if　the　student　will　compare　the　large　population
reported　to　have　existed　at　that　time　with　the　superficial　area　of　the
island；　it　will　be　plainly　seen　that　a　very　large　proportion　must　have
been　under　cultivation；　otherwise　supplies　must　have　been　imported。　I
have　before　mentioned　my　opinion　that　the　hard　bare　surface　of　the
denuded　cretaceous　hills　could　never　have　borne　timber；　neither　do　I
believe　in　the　traditions　concerning　forests　in　the　plain　of　Messaria；
for　the　simple　reason　that　it　must　have　been　the　cereal…producing　area
of　the　island。

The　ancient　forests　must　have　existed　where　the　vestiges　remain　to　the
present　day；　in　which　localities　the　natural　inclination　of　the　soil　is
to　produce　trees；　which　are　still　represented；　in　spite　of　the　hideous
destruction　perpetrated　by　the　inhabitants　during　many　centuries。　These
positions　include　the　entire　Carpas　district；　together　with　the　long
range　of　compact　limestone　mountains　forming　the　northern　wall　of　the
island；　the　northern　coast　and　western；　comprising　the　country　between
Poli…ton…Khrysokhus；　and　Baffo；　and　the　central　and　coast…line　from
Baffo　to　Limasol；　with　exceptions　of　lands　here　and　there　cultivated
with　cereals。　The　greater　portion　of　the　mountains　that　are　now　occupied
with　vineyards　were　originally　forests；　which　have　been　cleared
specially　for　the　cultivation　of　the　vine。　I　have　seen　ground　at　an
elevation　of　4800　feet　where　the　vineyards　originally　existed　upon
cleared　forest　soil；　which；　having　been　abandoned；　is　relapsing　into　its
former　state；　becoming　more　or　less　covered　with　pines　as　birds　may　have
dropped　the　seeds；　or　the　cones　may　have　been　driven　from　higher
altitudes　by　wind　and　rain。

The　question　that　must　now　be　determined　is　this：　〃What　portions　of　the
island　are　to　be　restored　to　forest？〃　Any　person　who　has　carefully
examined　the　country　can　reply　without　hesitation；　〃Plant　all　useless
lands　with　trees；　those　useless　lands　are　already　more　or　less　covered
with　bush　or　woods；　and　denote　their　own　position；　in　the　Carpas；　the
Troodos；　and　all　mountain　and　hill　ranges。〃

Where　ancient　forests　have　disappeared　in　favour　of　cultivation；　it
would　be　folly　to　convert　an　improvement　into　the　original　wilderness。
That　question　is　easily　simplified；　and　when　the　department　of　Woods　and
Forests　shall　be　established；　a　few　years　of　energy　will　produce　a　new
picture　in　a　country　where　the　growth　of　timber　proceeds　quickly。

But　the　last　necessary　reform　still　remains　unnoticed；　this　should
determine　the　amount　of　caroubs；　mulberry；　and　fruit…trees　that　should
be　CUMPULSORILY　planted　by　all　proprietors　of　land　in　proportion　to
their　acreage；　and　this　is　absolutely　necessary。

As　I　have　described　in　many　portions　of　our　journey　through　Cyprus；　the
simple　action　of　an　insignificant　stream；　or　of　a　solitary　cattle…wheel；
forms　an　oasis　in　the　rainless　desert　of　the　Messaria；　and　the　eye　that
has　been　wearied　with　the　barren　aspect　of　a　treeless　surface　is
gladdened　by　the　relief　of　a　sudden　appearance　of　groves　of　oranges；
lemons；　and　other　shady　trees；　the　result　of　a　supply　of　water。　Whenever
such　welcome　spots　are　met　with　upon　the　miserable　plain；　the　question
invariably　arises；　〃Why　should　such　fruitful　and　delightful　positions　be
so　rare？　The　soil　is　fertile；　the　climate　is　favourable；　all　that　is
required　is　water；　and　energy。〃

If　a　Cypriote　is　asked　the　question；　he　invariably　replies　〃that　during
the　Turkish　administration　the　fruit…trees　increased　their　troubles；
owing　to　the　vexatious　and　extortionate　taxation　of　the　crops；　therefore
they　were　glad　to　be　quit　of　them　altogether。〃　Your　question　No。　2
follows；　〃Why　do　you　not　plant　trees　now　that　the　English　have　occupied
the　country？〃　The　reply　is　stereotyped；　〃We　are　not　sure　that　you　will
remain　here　permanently；　and　if　you　abandon　the　island　the　Turks　will
resume　the　old　system　with　even　greater　oppression　than　before。〃　This　is
an　unanswerable　dilemma；　which　no　doubt　retards　improvements；　but　there
is　a　third　difficulty　which　is　invariably　brought　prominently　forward
when　any　suggestions　are　made　for　an　extension　of　agricultural
enterprise：　〃We　have　no　money。〃　This　is　absolutely　true；　although　I　have
heard　the　assertion　contested　by　certain　authorities。　The　people　as　a
rule　are　miserably　poor；　and　cannot　afford　to　run　the　risks　of
experiments；　especially　during　the　present　uncertainty　connected　with
the　British　occupation。

The　opinions　that　I　personally　offer　are　based　upon　the　assumption　that
England　can　never　recede　from　the　position　she　has　assumed　in　Cyprus；
which　she　must　continue；　for　better　or　for　worse；　as　a　point　of　honour。
Any　abandonment　of　the　protection　we　have　afforded　to　the　inhabitants
would　tend　to　aggravate　their　position；　should　they　return　to　the
authority　of　the　Porte；　and　their　only　hope　would　lie　in　the　occupation
of　our　empty　bed　by　France；　who　certainly　requires　a　coaling　depot
towards　the　east　of　the　Mediterranean。　Should　we　wash　our　hands　of
Cyprus；　and　evacuate　it　in　a　similar　manner　to　Corfu；　we　should　become
the　laughing…stock　of　Europe；　and　no　future　step　taken　by　England　in　the
form　of　a　〃protectorate〃　would　ever　be　relied　upon。　Had　we　retained
Corfu　to　the　present　moment；　no　doubt　would　have　existed　as　to　any
change　in　our　intentions　respecting　Cyprus；　but　the　precedent
established　by　our　retirement　from　that　grand　strategical　position　has
borne　its　fruit　in　the　want　of　confidence　now　felt　by　all　classes　in　the
permanence　of　our　new　acquisition。

It　will　be　admitted　that　a　general　want　of　elasticity　has　succeeded　to
the　first　bound　of　expectation　that　was　raised　by　the　sudden
announcement　of　a　British　occupation；　the　government　cannot　be　held
responsible　for　the　disappointment　of　rash　adventurers；　but　their　true
responsibility　commenced　when　they　assumed　the　charge　of　the　inhabitants
of　Cyprus。　The　first　year　of　the　new　administration　has　been　marked　by　a
minimum　rainfall　that　has　caused　the　destruction　of　all　crops　dependent
upon　the　natural　water…supply　of　seasons；　and　this　partial　famine　of　the
first　year　of　our　occupation　is　generally　regarded　as　a　disaster。
Although　disastrous；　I　believe　the　serious　warning　will　operate　with
wholesome　effect；　by　opening　the　eyes　of　the　authorities　to　the　absolute
necessity　of　directing　special　attention　to　the　requirements　of　the
people；　who　after　centuries　of　oppression　have　become　apathetic　and
inert；　which　unfits　them　for　the　spontaneous　action　that　should　be
exerted　against　the　dangerous　exigencies　of　their　climate。　The
government　of　Cyprus　must　be　to　a　certain　extent　paternal；　and　the
planting　of　trees　that　will　eventually　benefit　not　only　individuals；　but
the　island　generally；　and　ultimately　the　revenue；　should　be　made
compulsory；　in　proportion　to　the　area　of　the　various　holdings；　due
assistance　being　accorded　to　the　proprietors　by　way　of　loans。

The　eucalyptus　is　suitable　for　many　localities　in　the　lowlands　of
Larnaca　and　Famagousta；　and　it　might　be　profitably　introduced　throughout
such　swampy　soils　as　the　neighbourhood　of　Morphu　and　other　similar
positions　with　good　sanitary　results；　but　such　trees　will　represent　the
woods　and　forests　of　the　low　country　without　a　productive　income　to　the
population；　whereas　by　an　enforced　cultivation　of　fruit…trees　upon　every
holding　the　island　would　in　a　few　years　become　a　garden；　and　the
exportation　of　fruit　to　Egypt；　only　thirty　hours'　distant；　would　be　the
commencement　of　an　important　trade；　alike　beneficial　to　the　individual
proprietors　and　to　the　island　generally。

At　the　present　time；　and　for　many　years　past；　Alexandria　has　been
supplied　with　all　fruits　from　Jaffa；　Beyrout；　and　various　ports　on　the
coast　of　Syria；　but　there　is　no　reason　why　Cyprus　should　not　eventually
monopolise　the　trade；　if　special　attention　shall　be　bestowed　（by　the
suggested　department　of　Woods　and　Forests）　upon　the　qualities　and
cultivation　whenever　an　arrangement　for　an　extension　of　planting　shall
be　carried　out。　I　have　never　seen　any　fruits　of　high　quality　in　Cyprus；
but　they　are　generally　most　inferior；　owing　to　th