.So NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



Spanish Chestnut 



Some years ago good numbers of the edible chestnut 

 were raised at Pedoulas by the Agricultural Department 

 and distributed to villagers for growing in the hills. It is 

 feared that the greater part of these trees, through want of 

 -attention, unsuitability of soil or climate, lack of moisture, 

 and especially damage by goats, have been lost, but some 

 remain and well-grown young trees may be found in certain 

 localities and in moderate numbers among the mountains. 

 As soon as adequate protection from goats can be given, 

 this tree might be well worth more extensive cultivation. 

 It prospers well when properly cared for, but will not thrive 

 in soils containing more than about 3 per cent, of lime or 

 at an elevation below about 1,000 ft. 



The tree has been propagated almost entirely from 

 seed, which must be as fresh as possible. No doubt one 

 reason for the lack of interest hitherto shown in this tree 

 by villagers is that it does not begin to fruit, as a rule, until 

 about its twentieth year. 



Pistacia spp. 



Several species of Pistacia occur in Cyprus, and 

 although they yield products of different kinds, it will be 

 convenient to deal with them together in the present 

 section. 



The pistachio nut (Pistacia vera), locally called "Aleppo 

 pistachio," is a native of Persia and Arabia and it was 

 thought, until a few years ago, that it would not thrive in 

 Cyprus. That is, however, a fallacy, which is rather con- 

 firmed by the fact that the P. Terebinthus and the P. 

 Lentiscus are indigenous to the Island. It is considered 

 that the best method of cultivation is to bud P. vera on P. 

 Terebinthus. Though they grow more slowly, these budded 

 trees are more robust and better resist drought, cold and 

 moisture. The trees should yield fruit in five years from 

 the time of grafting. A fair number of these trees have 

 now been distributed from the Government Nursery 

 Gardens. 



This tree provides the pistachio nuts which are now 

 imported from Syria and Chios. 



