CAROB TREELUCERNE 61 



The falling-off in 1913-14 was mainly due to the losses 

 caused by the fly Cecidomyia ceralonice. 



The fruit of the carob is exported mostly to England, 

 but also to France and Egypt, and more recently, before 

 the war, to Germany. Gaudry mentions that about the 

 middle of last century it was exported to Russia, Sardinia 

 and Austria. Some is used, in Egypt and the Levant 

 especially, as food for the poorer classes and for making 

 sweets and sherbets. Its chief use in Western Europe 

 is as food for animals, bovine and equine, for which purpose 

 it is ground up and made into either meal or cattle cakes. 

 It is also said to be employed in the manufacture of choco- 

 late and spirit, and there is a demand for the seed for use 

 in the manufacture of certain gums. 



The juice of the bean, " carob honey, " locally called 

 " mavromelos," " teratsomelo " or " betmezi," is con- 

 sumed as a substitute for bee-honey or jam and also as 

 a flavouring for culinary purposes. From the carob honey 

 is also made the sweetmeat " pastelli." 



At one time carobs were used in Cyprus for fattening 

 mules and other animals, but, unfortunately, this practice 

 died out. Efforts are now being made to revive it, and the 

 advantages of this local product are again becoming 

 recognised. 



The carob contains some 50 per cent, of saccharine 

 matter and the interesting question has been raised in 

 recent years as to whether the bean might not become a 

 new source of sugar production. 



Lucerne (Medicago saliva) 



This plant was introduced about eighteen years ago, 

 but in spite of its undoubted success when properly 

 grown on suitable soil, the Cypriot farmer was for many 

 years very slow to make use of it. Every effort has been 

 made of late years to encourage its cultivation and during 

 the last three or four years there has been a steadily in- 

 creased demand for seed. Irrigation is necessary in order 

 to obtain a satisfactory yield, but there are many farms 

 where it might be grown with great advantage. Its value 

 for cattle food is generally recognised, and now that greater 



