6 NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



" tappoo donum," equals 60 pics = 40 yards square = 

 i ,600 square yards, or 14,400 sq. ft. ; 3-025 of these donums 

 go to the acre. There is also a farmer's, or " reshper " 

 donum, which is commonly used by agriculturists and is 

 equal to about ij Government donums. For general 

 purposes a legal donum is about one-third and a Cypriot 

 farmer's donum about one-half of an acre. " Stremma " 

 is also a synonym for the farmer's donum, or scala, although 

 its actual measure is very much less. 



Currency 



i =20 shillings or 1 80 copper piastres, 



i shilling = 9 copper piastres, 



i cp. (copper piastre) = 40 paras. 



H. AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS 



General 



Agriculture is the main industry of the Island, which 

 is favourably situated for the markets of Egypt, Syria 

 and Asia Minor, although the former is practically the only 

 buyer of its perishable produce. During recent years the 

 Cypriot agriculturist has come to realise more and more 

 the value of the Egyptian market and a considerable trade 

 with that country has grown up. 



Land Tenure and Labour 



The small farmer mostly cultivates his own land, 

 whereas the large landowner rarely does. The metayer, 

 or metairie, system is fairly common, and has much to 

 recommend it when honourably carried out by both parties, 

 but it is open to very serious abuse. 



Under this system the one party, or contractor, gives 

 the seed and often lends the cattle. A valuation of the 

 latter is made at the time of entering into the agreement, 

 and a re-valuation is made on termination, any deprecia- 

 tion being made good by the other party, or metayer. The 

 latter finds the necessary labour and feeds the animals 

 and pays an agreed rate for their hire. The crops, after 

 deduction of Government tithe, are usually divided equally 



