The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-08
TIE COMMERCIAL VhLUE or CYPRUS

field has added to tho long list OF the British
possessions is. after Sardinia and Sicily. the
largest. and. after the attor the most fertile in
tho Mediterranean. 1t is obvious. therefore.
that the new masters OF Cyprus will contem-
plato double objcct-not only tho establish
ment Of a military depot but tho development
Of the country's resources. What are these. md
how far can Cyprus be ex pocted to pay her way
In view Of the information which. during the
last month, has been forthcoming from Consus
and other competent authorities on Lovantine
questions. we arc now able to measure tho
actual products Of the island. and its probable
commercial value.
1t Ia true that tho soil which gave sustenance
to a million Of souls under the Ptoemies. and
to well nigh half that number under Venetian
rule throo centuries ago. now supports less than
two hundred thousand. But when We consider
the romissness and cxtortlons Of the provincial
administration tho wonder s not that tho
Cyprioto peasant is at the lowest ebb OF pros
perity. but that the island is not vast un-
pcopled waste. The natural disadvantages
under which Cyprus has laborod in modern
times. but which admit OF partial correction.
are the periodical droughts and the unparalleled
rayagcs Of ocusts. Both these disabilities are
due to tho reckless non feasance of the Turkish
officials. Tho lack OF water could be rene
died. not only by artesian wells. for which
the conditions are said to be favorable. but by
arrcstlng the process Of dcforestation along the
mountain ranges and organizing system OF
tree plantations. These need not be carried out
on very extensive scale for according to a re-
port Of the British Consul tho nature OF the soil
makes n large rainfall unnecessary fall Of
only thirteen inches from October TO June suf-
fees. We are told. 10 produce a fair crop Of
grain. As TO the locusts. the degree to which
this scourGo can DO controlled was attestcd by
the experience OF Said Pasha, one Of tho few
good Governors which the island received from
Stamboul In one year OF his regime sixty-two
tons weight Of locust eggs were collected aud
destroyed whereby. according to Consul Lang's
computation tho crops Of the next season were
delivered from 81. 600 600 Of locusts. When TO
the pnllation OF these evils shall be added re-
lief from the fiscal blunders Of the Turkish au-
thorities and the monsirous eXactons OF tho
local usurers, there is no reason 20 doubt that
the agricultural wealth Of Cyprus will DO vastly
augmented The amount Of arabic land even
under existing circumstan ,os Is stated ut n mil
lion and a quarter Of acres. les. than half Of
which at present is submitted ~ a rude sort OF
cultivation.
With view OF learning the directions which
the development Of agriculture under British
administration is likely TO take. let MS look at
N'S 0,""' ''O'" n'NVi"'i- !" Mo" h'"'S
tics. the agricultural products Of the whole
island in 1868 were valued at t3.5O0.0O0. The
quota contributed by the Cypriotc tobacco, which
used not long ago to be highly esteemed in
Syria and Egypt. was at the date named, owing
to preposterous excise and export taxes. twenty
times less than in lsi5. The duties levied on
wine have hitherto amounted to thirty per cent.
ana consequently inc exports had dropped 10y
Io'i 10 ol7uVV gaiiohs' put 1ohsul Lang al
hrms tnA' inc prouucuoh oi grapes might DC
caH.y lhIcaseu ni'|i'iu' very serViSapie
quaiitles oi cotoh are grown IN inc islanu from
american soou "nlch nave peeh classined al
Liverpool AT only nve per cent less than mid
uilhs OrIeahs' Inc amount oil THIS staple eN-
ported IN io'! was ''o'oVo pounds Inc wheat
produced - Oh goou quaIy' small IN gram. and
posSossins an lne "u'an"ses Oh inc nara
""'"s vi huSsia' o"'hs 10 'ho primitive
ni'tm"u Vi 'l,esh'ns' inc gram II mixed win
snau s,ohcs from 'hc threshlhe moor uelect
"h''u H"S rohuereu us'iess % 'ho EhRlish
erlhu'rs' out "nIch might Of course be
,o'1''S .u''.' no ius"'"s qu"n'iN' 10
,aca '.1 " 'o,"paio mo inquiries ior
80 wv" r,'ooo VI uiieo von'urn Ne eaIHer'
,aia ,aa 'inu ''io
100 ."''Sn ~. .io"i nv III ''loi'
,tai - u" ''I- va
u ""i e' 'ioni seven anu nun hlI'ohs 10 hooui
TWO. one other agricultural product OF Cyprus
| deserves special mention. We refer IN the fruit
| -, ~, 80, So. H. - H. W. -. ~
va '"N N"Io' "V'' Ah""h III oinih'rce hH LOCUST
| beans. These beans are Manufactured by the
natives into n kind Of sweet cnLe which is worry
| n,,,r,,i,.o - ~, -. 49,. A.. y, -
'',' ~ "nu my ar S'n' III urge quHh'lties
| 10 Russia, where they are eaten Ms a fruit OF
| lnte years they have also been exnoried in con.
| .ilorotl, ,,,o,,i,i., :, r,.,.,,, -, -. -. -
| 'i"'. ""'o 1u"n'iles I" Lhslahu' Where 'hey are
| employed as fodder for cattle and in the manu-
| facture Of kind Of n,olosses We neod NOT ro
| tt 49, pntI1.i .''.,"-..1 " 49, NJ -
| ,,'Hu "e Dlo'c" student that hese beans are
Identified with tho husks mentioned in the
| parable Of the prodignl Son (which tho swine
| ~, 90, - al - - e. -. - ~ =" 'n'
i
"moa,n ~ ~, ,ho ~, 1850 wv
| u,a .,o.L ., ,ho ,.iona y. -, =. -