cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第53部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


It　may　therefore　be　acknowledged　that　no　custom　has　been　so　universal
and　continuous　as　the　drinking　of　wine　from　the　earliest　period　of　human
existence。　The　vine　is　a　mysterious　plant；　it　is　so　peculiarly　sensitive
that；　like　a　musical　instrument　which　produces　harmony　or　discord　at　the
hands　of　different　performers；　the　produce　of　the　same　variety　is
affected　by　the　soil　upon　which　the　plants　are　grown。　Thus　ten　thousand
young　vines　may　be　planted　upon　one　mountain；　all　of　the　same　stock；　but
various　qualities　of　wine　will　be　produced；　each　with　a　special
peculiarity　of　flavour；　according　to　the　peculiarities　of　soil。　The　same
estate；　planted　with　the　same　vines；　may　produce　high　class　wines　and
others　that　would　hardly　command　a　market；　if　the　soil　varies　according
to　the　degrees　of　certain　localities。　It　would　now　be　impossible　to
produce　Madeira　wine　in　Cyprus；　although　the　plants　might　be　imported
and　cultivated　with　the　greatest　attention。　When　the　vines　were　shipped
from　Cyprus　and　planted　in　Madeira　during　the　rule　of　the　Venetians；　it
must　not　be　supposed　that　those　vines　had　ever　produced　wine　of　the
well…known　Madeira　flavour　and　quality；　that　flavour　was　the　result　of
some　peculiarity　in　the　soil　of　the　new　country　to　which　the　vines　had
been　transplanted；　and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　rich　and
extremely　luscious　variety　known　in　Cyprus　as　〃Commanderia〃　was　the
parent　vine　of　the　Madeira　vineyards。

It　is　well　known　that　the　costly　experiments　of　a　century　at　the　Cape　of
Good　Hope　have　verified　the　fact　that　the　vine　is　the　slave　of　certain
conditions　of　soil；　which　impart　to　this　extremely　delicate　and
sensitive　plant　a　special　flavour　that　is　incorporated　with　the　wine；
and　can　never　be　eradicated。　The　vines　of　the　Cape；　although　of　infinite
variety；　produce　wines　with　a　family　taint　which　is　a　flavour　absorbed
from　the　soil。　Any　person　who　knows　Constantia；　the　luscious　wine　of　the
Cape　of　Good　Hope；　will　at　once　detect　the　soupcon　of　that　flavour　in
every　quality　of　wine　produced　in　the　colony。　It　may　therefore　be
accepted　that　the　flavour　of　wines　depends　upon　the　soil；　thus　it　would
be　impossible　for　a　vine…grower　to　succeed　simply　by　planting　well…
known　superior　varieties　of　vines；　unless　he　has　had　practical
experience　of　the　locality　to　be　converted　into　vineyards。

This　fact　is　thoroughly　exhibited　in　Cyprus；　where　the　peculiarities　of
soils　are　exceedingly　remarkable；　and　cannot　fail　to　attract　attention；
each　of　these　qualities　of　earth　producing　a　special　wine。

If　a　planter　establishes　a　vineyard　he　will　naturally　select　a　certain
variety　of　vine；　and　a　corresponding　situation　that　will　ensure　a
marketable　quantity　of　wine；　thus　in　Cyprus　a　comparatively　small　area
of　the　island　is　devoted　to　the　cultivation　of　the　grape；　which　is
comprised　chiefly　within　the　district　of　Limasol。　No　wine　is　made　in　the
Carpas　district；　nor　to　the　north　of　the　Carpasian　range　of　jurassic
limestone；　there　are　no　vineyards　of　importance　in　the　western　district；
or　yet　in　the　plain　of　Messaria；　except　upon　the　western　border；　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Dali；　towards　the　Makhaeras　mountain。

Although　there　are　many　varieties　of　Cyprus　wines；　there　is　one
prevailing　rule：　the　white　commanderia；　a　luscious　high…flavoured　wine；
is　grown　upon　the　reddish　chocolate…coloured　soil　of　metamorphous　rocks。
The　dark　red；　or　black　astringent　wines；　are　produced　upon　the　white
marls　and　cretaceous　limestone。　The　quantity　produced　is　large；　and　the
dark　wines　can　be　purchased　retail　in　the　villages　for　one　penny　the
quart　bottle！and　in　my　opinion　are　very　dear　at　the　money。

According　to　the　official　returns　kindly　supplied　to　me　by　Mr。　Robson；
the　chief　of　customs；　the　following　list　represents　the　declared
duty…paid　production　from　1877　to　1879。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Spirits　　　　　　Commanderia　　　　　Black　Wines
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。
1877…1878。　。　　　　　　　　　155；451　　　　　　　　　　　　　117；000　　　　　　　　　　2；500；000
1878…1879。　。　　　　　　　　　430；000　　　　　　　　　　　　　300；000　　　　　　　　　　6；000；000

Spirit　is　valued　at　about　2。5　Piastres　the　Oke
Commanderia　　〃　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　2　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　〃
Black　Wines　　〃　　　　　　　〃　　　1。25　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　〃
The　rate　of　exchange：　　9　Piastres　to　1　shilling　=　180　per　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　pound　sterling。


It　will　be　observed　that　an　immense　difference　is　represented　in　the
yield　of　the　two　years。　This　is　to　be　accounted　for　by　the
superabundance　of　rains　in　1878…1879；　which　caused　a　great　quantity；　but
bad　quality；　of　juice；　and　the　wine　of　this　vintage　is　so　inferior　that
a　large　proportion　is　turning　to　vinegar；　and　can　be　used　for　no　other
purpose。

The　habit　of　calculating　by　low　quantities；　as　〃okes；〃　as　the　French
reckon　in　〃francs；〃　is　at　first　sight　perplexing　to　the　English　mind；
and　conveys　an　erroneous　impression　of　the　actual　results。　If　the
population　of　Cyprus　is　about　200；000；　the　maximum　wine…crop　of
6；000；000　okes　would　only　yield　30　okes；　or　60　ordinary　wine…bottles；　to
each　person　during　the　year。　The　local　consumption　is　exceedingly　small；
which　can　only　be　accounted　for　by　the　general　poverty　of　the
population。

The　exports　are　directed　principally　to　the　various　ports　of　the　Levant；
Constantinople；　Smyrna；　Alexandria；　in　addition　to　Trieste；　and　parts　of
Southern　Italy。　Some　of　the　dark　wines　are　shipped　to　Marseilles；　for
the　well…known　establishment　at　Cette；　where　they　are　used　for　mixing
with　other　wines。　It　should　at　once　be　understood　that　no　quality　of
Cyprus　wines　is　suitable　to　the　English　market；　as　they　are　generally
shunned　even　by　the　English　residing　in　the　island；　where　their　extreme
cheapness　might　tempt　people　into　the　bad　taste　of　consuming　them。　At
the　same　time；　these　wines　are　well　appreciated　by　the　native
population；　especially　the　dark　astringent　qualities。

The　difficulty　of　introducing　a　new　wine　is　well　known　to　English
wine…merchants；　and　the　mysteries　of　the　trade　would　somewhat　astonish
the　innocent　would…be　connoisseur。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　palate
must　be　educated　to　enjoy　fine　dry　wines；　precisely　as　the　ear　must　be
instructed　before　it　can　appreciate　classical　music。　There　is　a　harmony
in　the　senses　of　hearing；　smell；　and　taste　which　is　the　result　of
civilised　life；　this　may　be　right　or　wrong　physically；　as　the　nerves
become　more　delicate　and　sensitive；　which　may　affect　the　brain　more　or
less　directly。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　affects　the　stomach。
Certain　civilised　persons　prefer　game　in　a　state　approaching　to
decomposition；　I　have　seen　savages　who　enjoy　flesh　when　actually　putrid；
and　above　all　horrors；　fish　when　stinking！　Such　food　would　disgust　the
civilised　man　who　prefers　his　game　〃high；〃　and　would　perhaps　kill　other
civilised　people　whose　palates　and　stomachs　have　been　educated　to　avoid
impurities。　In　the　same　manner　the　palate　must　be　educated　for　wines　or
other　drinks。　I　gave　an　old　priest　a　bottle　of　Bass's　pale　India　ale；　he
could　not　drink　half　a　glassful　but　rejected　it　as　picro　（bitter）；　the
same　old　man　enjoyed　his　penny…a…bottle　black　Cyprus　wine；　reeking　of
tar　and　half…rotten　goat…skins；　in　which　it　had　been　brought　to
marketa　stuff　that　I　could　not　have　swallowed！　It　must　therefore　be
borne　in　mind　when　judging　of　Cyprian　wines；　that　〃English　taste　does
not　govern　the　world。〃　Although　the　British　market　would　be　closed　to
the　coarse　and　ill…made　wines　of　Cyprus；　there　are　other　markets　which
accept　them　gladly；　and　would　absorb　them　to　a　high　degree；　were　they
improved　by　superior　cultivation　and　manufacture。

At　the　same　time　that　the　produce　of　Cyprus　is　now　a　unsuitable　to　the
English　market；　there　is　no　reason　why　it　should　be　excluded　at　a　future
time；　when　scientific　culture　shall　have　enhanced　the　quality。　It　should
be　remembered　that　the　poorer　classes　of　Great　Britain　would　be
immensely　benefited　by　a　beverage　that　should　be　within　their　reach　in
price；　and　at　the　same　time　be　sufficiently　invigorating　without　the
direct　intoxicating　properties　of　spirits　or　the　sleepy；　heavy；　and
thirst…increasing　qualities　of　beer。　If　Cyprus　is　at　some　future　time　to
become　a　British　colony；　the　wine　trade　will　be　the　principal　source　of
industry；　and　should　be　developed　by　the　government　with　every　possible
encouragement　to　the　proprietors　of　vineyards。　An　improved　quality　of
wine　will　not　necessitate　an　additional　price；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the
wine…growing　resources　of　the　island　are　so　irrepressible　that　they　have
withstood　the　oppression　of　the　past　and　present；　and　when　relieved　of
this　incubus；　not　only　should　the　quality　improve；　but　the　price　should
be　reduced。　In　this　case；　should　the　Cyprian　produce　be　favoured　by　a
nominal　import　duty　in　England；　the　wine　will　be　within　the　reach　of　the
poorer　classes；　and　may　ameliorate　that　crying　evil　of　our　country；
〃intoxication；〃　by　weaning　the　spirit…drinker　to　a　more　wholesome
drink。

It　must　never　be　supposed　by　the　most　sanguine　that　Cyprian　wines　will
be　fashionable　among　the　upper　classes　in　England。　I　do　not　think　they
will　ever　surpass　Marsala　or　many　of　the　Cape　wines。　English　people；　as
a