POTATOES 



55 



Potatoes 



The potato-growing industry in Cyprus has developed 

 considerably in recent years, as will be seen from the 

 subjoined table of exports : 



Year. 



1909 

 IQIO 



1912 



1913 

 1914 



1915 

 1916 

 1917 



Quantity. 



Cwts. 



12,586 



14.983 

 36,271 

 45.336 

 3L3IO 



54.203 



82,304 



136,027 



224,453 



Value. 







3.105 



3.839 



8,472 



10,348 



7.003 



".741 



28,513 



74.632 



IOI.I2O 



These figures, however, are a very inadequate indica- 

 tion of the actual increase of production, inasmuch as the 

 local consumption of this vegetable before the war was 

 confined almost entirely to the well-to-do residents in the 

 towns, whereas now it is rapidly becoming a staple food 

 of the people. This unascertainable but large local con- 

 sumption must be added to the latest export returns 

 in order to arrive at an estimate of present production. 



The most favoured variety was at first, and with many 

 growers still is, what is known as the French potato, the 

 original seed having been brought from France. Irish 

 potatoes (locally called " pittakoura ") have now largely 

 displaced these, partly, no doubt, on account of the greater 

 facility of obtaining the latter seed during the war. 



A native variety of potato, believed to have been 

 imported by Syrian Arabs in the sixteenth century, is still 

 grown on a small scale in the Marathassa valley. This 

 potato has deep-set eyes and a luxuriant growth above 

 ground and possesses a characteristic sweet taste. 



Great progress has been made within the last few 

 years in the matter of cultivation, and the old practice 

 of planting broadcast on the flat has given way to ridge 

 planting at proper distances apart. The practice formerly 

 was to drop the potatoes into the plough furrow. These 

 were covered over by the return plough ; every third 

 furrow was sown. 



The Egyptian demand and the purchases made for 

 military purposes have greatly stimulated production. 



