CAROB TREE 59 



disposition, a single tree passes by inheritance to several 

 heirs. 



Many thousands of carob plants are annually raised in 

 the Government gardens and issued at a trifling charge. 

 The common method of propagation has been to sow the 

 seeds in pots, and when the plant is from 18 in. to 2 ft. 

 high it is ready for transplanting. The seed, which is very 

 hard, is softened by placing it in a cauldron or saucepan 

 of cold water. The water is then brought to the boil. On 

 arriving at boiling-point the water is cooled and should 

 then be changed and the seed left to steep for twenty-four 

 hours. Owing to the long tap root, sowing in ordinary 

 nursery beds has not been satisfactory, as the plants, which 

 certainly make better growth than in pots, do not trans- 

 plant well. 



The foregoing methods have to a great extent been 

 superseded by that of germinating the seed in damp sand 

 and sowing direct in the field in properly prepared holes. 

 Little watering is needed if the holes are deep and the soil 

 kept friable. A top mulch is useful to conserve the 

 moisture. 



Transplanting from pots or beds is best done when the 

 plants are twelve months old and about 12 in. high, after 

 that it is precarious. Grafting may be done as soon as the 

 stem is thick enough to take a graft, either before or after 

 transplanting. 



The tree is liable to attack by insects and other pests. 

 Scale (Aspidiotus ceratonice) is very common ; but the 

 greatest damage of late years has been caused by the fly 

 Cecidomyia ceratonice, which lays its eggs on the flowers 

 or newly-set fruit, and the grub feeds on the bean, causing 

 it to become stunted and of no commercial value. This 

 stunted condition is locally known as " brachycarpia " 

 and has been the subject of careful scientific study and 

 practical treatment by the Agricultural Department 

 during the last few years. Very satisfactory results have 

 been recorded from the campaigns, which have so far been 

 limited to the Kyrenia District, and these have justified 

 the extension of compulsory treatment to other infected 

 areas. This and other pests, such as Myelois ceratonice, 

 Cossus liniperda (a lepidopterous boring insect), a species of 

 3 



