iQ2 -' NOTES' 'ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



to September and, after being gathered, is skinned and 

 dried in the sun. It is used by druggists as a purgative. 

 Until about ten years ago it was cultivated on a small scale 

 and an annual export of about 400 in value took place, 

 chiefly to England and Austria. It was then in demand, 

 it is said, as an adulterant of quinine. The fruit is locally 

 thought to be a remedy for rheumatism. For this purpose 

 the fruits are picked and put in a saucepan and covered 

 with olive oil. After cooking for six hours the pulp or 

 ointment is rubbed into the affected part. The European 

 demand having ceased, the plant is now only found in a 

 wild state. 



Asphodel 



The asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus), locally known as 

 " spourdellos " or " spourtoulla," is a troublesome and 

 abundant weed in many parts of the Island, up to an 

 altitude of about 4,000 ft. The peasant farmer rarely 

 attempts to remove it, though it occupies a large propor- 

 tion of his land to the detriment of the crops. In the hills 

 the villagers dry the bulbs and feed them to their sheep, 

 cattle and donkeys. A paste is also made from the roots 

 which is used by boot-makers to stick the leathers together. 

 To make this paste the roots are dried in the oven and 

 ground, and then mixed with ground vetches or maize 

 and made into the gum or paste locally known as " tsirichi." 



VI. MINOR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 



Bee-keeping 



Although Cyprus bees are world-famed, bee-keeping in 

 the Island is still in its infancy. 



The native hive is generally an earthenware cylinder 

 or pipe about 2 ft. 6 in. long and 9 in. in diameter 

 (see Plate VII, fig. i). Hives are also made of a mixture 

 of earth and chopped straw, similar to native mud-bricks. 

 These hives are also cylindrical, about 18 in. long and 

 10 to 12 in. in diameter with a 3-in. thickness of wall. 

 These are cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and 

 produce stronger colonies than the earthenware ones. 



