74 



NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



residue or waste, which, if it could be utilised, would go far 

 to meet the deficiency in the requirements for local con- 

 sumption. 



There are a few good iron presses now in use. Their 

 superiority is generally recognised and, no doubt, now that 

 the war is over, they will be imported in greater numbers. 



Small inexpensive, cottage filters have been designed by 

 the Agricultural Department and these are being adopted, 

 though very gradually. The oil so filtered is greatly 

 superior, but having acquired a more delicate flavour, it 

 is not so much appreciated by the native consumers. 



Large numbers of young wild olive trees are issued on 

 permit from the State forests for private cultivation and 

 many thousands of two- and three-year-old plants raised 

 in the Government Nurseries are also distributed every 

 year. With the gradual improvement in cultivation and 

 in the preparation of the oil, the production should increase 

 enormously. 



The local production of olive oil is insufficient for the 

 requirements of the Island, but there is no reason why, in 

 the course of time, when the large number of trees newly 

 planted and annually on the increase, come into bearing, 

 a valuable export trade should not result. The figures 

 of production, given in the table below, are strikingly 

 fluctuating, and indicate the irregularity of the annual 

 yield and the marked variation in price : 



Year. 



1904 

 1905 

 1906 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 

 1910 

 I9II 

 1912 

 1913 

 I9M 

 1915 

 1916 

 1917 



Quantity. 

 Cwts. 



4-294 

 5.291 

 7.845 

 8,981 



788 

 3.851 

 7.550 



608 

 48 



911 

 2,197 

 6,003 

 4,966 



290 



Value. 





 6,467 



8,504 

 12,602 

 16,922 



1,459 



8,864 

 17,232 



L4I5 

 88 



2,052 



4.837 

 15.146 

 16,035 



1.225 



Sesame Seed 



The annual production in Cyprus of sesame seed 

 (Sesamum indicum) is said to be about 195,000 okes. It is 



