76 NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



purposes and for use in soap-making. The residuum, 

 after extraction of the oil, and the haulm are nutritious 

 cattle foods. 



The importation of these nuts was recently prohibited 

 except in a roasted condition, owing to the risk of their 

 introducing plant pests when in the raw, earth-encrusted 

 condition. This has tended to check importation, and 

 may perhaps give an impetus to local production. Ground 

 nuts can be grown, of course, only where irrigation is 

 possible. 



The quantity of ground nuts imported in 1917 was 

 1,532 cwts., valued at 2,448. Previous to that year they 

 were not separately enumerated. 



Castor-oil Seed 



The castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis) is only grown 

 to a small extent, but the tree usually thrives well and its 

 cultivation might be extended with advantage. Accord- 

 ing to Gennadius, Dioscorides claimed that it used to be 

 called Seseli of Cyprus, from which the inference may be 

 drawn that the plant has long been among the flora of the 

 Island, where it is now known as a perennial. It grows 

 very freely from seed and rapidly attains a height of 1 5 

 or 1 6 ft. ; but it quickly dies back after a slight frost, 

 though it recovers again the following year. It appears 

 to do well in most soils, but thrives best in light loam 

 with moderate moisture. 



Owing to the demand for the oil, one or two planta- 

 tions have lately been made by the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment. 



The varieties locally grown include plants producing 

 large, medium and small-sized seed. Trial cultivations are 

 being made to ascertain their relative values. It is found 

 that a heavier yield of better quality is usually obtained 

 where the plant is treated as an annual and not as a 

 perennial. Four samples of castor seed examined at the 

 Imperial Institute were found to contain normal amounts 

 of oil, and similar seed would be readily saleable in the 

 United Kingdom if offered in commercial quantities (see 

 BULLETIN OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, vol. xvii. 1919, 

 p. 492). 



