70 NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



has now spread to other hill villages. The closing of the 

 market for Bulgarian otto of roses owing to the war has 

 given an impetus to the industry in Cyprus. The Agri- 

 cultural Department has for two years sent qualified 

 officers to superintend the work at Milikouri and to carry 

 out an experimental distillation. 



A report from the Director, Imperial Institute, upon 

 samples of the 1917 distillation states that " the constants 

 of the Cyprus oil agree closely with those recorded for 

 Bulgarian otto of roses." It was found that the odour of 

 the Cyprus oil was fairly good, but rather weak. The 

 otto sold at 705. per ounce, less 2j per cent., which " in 

 view of the very small quantity must be considered satis- 

 factory." At the time of sale French otto was quoted at 

 785. to 855. per ounce. 



Acacia Farnesiana 



This tree is but sparsely represented in Cyprus, but 

 wherever found it is vigorous and healthy. It belongs to 

 the Mimosa tribe of the order Leguminosae and, as other 

 species are common in the Island and thrive remarkably 

 well, there would seem no reason why this species also 

 should not become more general. 



It is known elsewhere under different names ; that of 

 " sweet briar " (in Barbados) on account of its numerous 

 thorns and the exquisite scent of its flowers, and " stinking 

 cossie " (in Antigua) owing to the highly disagreeable smell 

 of its wood. The word " cossie " may be a corruption of 

 acacia. 



Its flowers are largely used in perfumery, and the annual 

 crop of the flowers of this plant in France is stated to be 

 worth thousands of francs, and a particularly delicate 

 fragrant perfume is extracted from them. The pods are 

 said to yield a fair amount of tannin, while from the 

 cracks in the bark of the trunk and branches there exudes 

 a gum very like the true gum arabic and is utilised for the 

 same purpose. The wood makes good charcoal. 



It is locally known as " skouroupathos " or " skourou- 

 pathia," and is closely allied to the extremely common 

 weed of that name which is found abundantly in nearly 

 every field in the plains during summer, but which, owing 



