NUTS 49 



money to the exporters. The flavour is also impaired by 

 premature picking and on this account Cyprus nuts com- 

 pare unfavourably in this respect with those from Spain Y 

 and Trebizond and other parts on the Black Sea, with 

 which they have to compete. If growers would pay more 

 attention to this point, Cyprus hazelnuts would, owing to- 

 their size, hold a much better place than they do in the 

 English market. 



The export of hazelnuts is not separately recorded, 

 but the annual average production is stated to be approxi^ 

 mately 120,000 okes. 



Walnuts 



Some fine specimens of walnut trees are to be seen ir> 

 the Marathassa valley and in the neighbourhood of 

 Palaeochori, and near mountain streams in several places- 

 among the slopes of the hills. These yield excellent fruit 

 and are profitable to their owners, but unfortunately many 

 trees have succumbed to the attacks of the Codlin moth. 

 Special action has been taken during the last two years to 

 deal with this pest. There has been a marked increase of 

 late in the planting of young walnut trees. 



Almonds 



The cultivation of this tree has greatly extended of late, 

 Its drought-resisting properties enable it to withstand the 

 climate of the plains and on the level slopes of both ranges- 

 it grows well. There are several large plantations, notably 

 at Psevdhas, Larnaca district, where the famous Jordan 

 variety is found, and as the tree seems indifferent to soil, 

 and thrives particularly well on the limestone which 

 is so general throughout the Island, it may be hoped that 

 it will be greatly multiplied. Both the soft- and the hard- 

 shelled varieties are grown. Much good work has lately 

 been done in School Gardens, under expert advice, in 

 germinating the seed in damp sand. The villagers, finding 

 the seedlings already to hand for planting, have been 

 induced to plant them out. 



Almonds are used as stocks on which to graft peaches, 

 kaishas, apricots and plums (" mirabelles "). 



