cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第67部分

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lands　with　trees；　those　useless　lands　are　already　more　or　less　covered
with　bush　or　woods；　and　denote　their　own　position；　in　the　Carpas；　the
Troodos；　and　all　mountain　and　hill　ranges。〃

Where　ancient　forests　have　disappeared　in　favour　of　cultivation；　it
would　be　folly　to　convert　an　improvement　into　the　original　wilderness。
That　question　is　easily　simplified；　and　when　the　department　of　Woods　and
Forests　shall　be　established；　a　few　years　of　energy　will　produce　a　new
picture　in　a　country　where　the　growth　of　timber　proceeds　quickly。

But　the　last　necessary　reform　still　remains　unnoticed；　this　should
determine　the　amount　of　caroubs；　mulberry；　and　fruit…trees　that　should
be　CUMPULSORILY　planted　by　all　proprietors　of　land　in　proportion　to
their　acreage；　and　this　is　absolutely　necessary。

As　I　have　described　in　many　portions　of　our　journey　through　Cyprus；　the
simple　action　of　an　insignificant　stream；　or　of　a　solitary　cattle…wheel；
forms　an　oasis　in　the　rainless　desert　of　the　Messaria；　and　the　eye　that
has　been　wearied　with　the　barren　aspect　of　a　treeless　surface　is
gladdened　by　the　relief　of　a　sudden　appearance　of　groves　of　oranges；
lemons；　and　other　shady　trees；　the　result　of　a　supply　of　water。　Whenever
such　welcome　spots　are　met　with　upon　the　miserable　plain；　the　question
invariably　arises；　〃Why　should　such　fruitful　and　delightful　positions　be
so　rare？　The　soil　is　fertile；　the　climate　is　favourable；　all　that　is
required　is　water；　and　energy。〃

If　a　Cypriote　is　asked　the　question；　he　invariably　replies　〃that　during
the　Turkish　administration　the　fruit…trees　increased　their　troubles；
owing　to　the　vexatious　and　extortionate　taxation　of　the　crops；　therefore
they　were　glad　to　be　quit　of　them　altogether。〃　Your　question　No。　2
follows；　〃Why　do　you　not　plant　trees　now　that　the　English　have　occupied
the　country？〃　The　reply　is　stereotyped；　〃We　are　not　sure　that　you　will
remain　here　permanently；　and　if　you　abandon　the　island　the　Turks　will
resume　the　old　system　with　even　greater　oppression　than　before。〃　This　is
an　unanswerable　dilemma；　which　no　doubt　retards　improvements；　but　there
is　a　third　difficulty　which　is　invariably　brought　prominently　forward
when　any　suggestions　are　made　for　an　extension　of　agricultural
enterprise：　〃We　have　no　money。〃　This　is　absolutely　true；　although　I　have
heard　the　assertion　contested　by　certain　authorities。　The　people　as　a
rule　are　miserably　poor；　and　cannot　afford　to　run　the　risks　of
experiments；　especially　during　the　present　uncertainty　connected　with
the　British　occupation。

The　opinions　that　I　personally　offer　are　based　upon　the　assumption　that
England　can　never　recede　from　the　position　she　has　assumed　in　Cyprus；
which　she　must　continue；　for　better　or　for　worse；　as　a　point　of　honour。
Any　abandonment　of　the　protection　we　have　afforded　to　the　inhabitants
would　tend　to　aggravate　their　position；　should　they　return　to　the
authority　of　the　Porte；　and　their　only　hope　would　lie　in　the　occupation
of　our　empty　bed　by　France；　who　certainly　requires　a　coaling　depot
towards　the　east　of　the　Mediterranean。　Should　we　wash　our　hands　of
Cyprus；　and　evacuate　it　in　a　similar　manner　to　Corfu；　we　should　become
the　laughing…stock　of　Europe；　and　no　future　step　taken　by　England　in　the
form　of　a　〃protectorate〃　would　ever　be　relied　upon。　Had　we　retained
Corfu　to　the　present　moment；　no　doubt　would　have　existed　as　to　any
change　in　our　intentions　respecting　Cyprus；　but　the　precedent
established　by　our　retirement　from　that　grand　strategical　position　has
borne　its　fruit　in　the　want　of　confidence　now　felt　by　all　classes　in　the
permanence　of　our　new　acquisition。

It　will　be　admitted　that　a　general　want　of　elasticity　has　succeeded　to
the　first　bound　of　expectation　that　was　raised　by　the　sudden
announcement　of　a　British　occupation；　the　government　cannot　be　held
responsible　for　the　disappointment　of　rash　adventurers；　but　their　true
responsibility　commenced　when　they　assumed　the　charge　of　the　inhabitants
of　Cyprus。　The　first　year　of　the　new　administration　has　been　marked　by　a
minimum　rainfall　that　has　caused　the　destruction　of　all　crops　dependent
upon　the　natural　water…supply　of　seasons；　and　this　partial　famine　of　the
first　year　of　our　occupation　is　generally　regarded　as　a　disaster。
Although　disastrous；　I　believe　the　serious　warning　will　operate　with
wholesome　effect；　by　opening　the　eyes　of　the　authorities　to　the　absolute
necessity　of　directing　special　attention　to　the　requirements　of　the
people；　who　after　centuries　of　oppression　have　become　apathetic　and
inert；　which　unfits　them　for　the　spontaneous　action　that　should　be
exerted　against　the　dangerous　exigencies　of　their　climate。　The
government　of　Cyprus　must　be　to　a　certain　extent　paternal；　and　the
planting　of　trees　that　will　eventually　benefit　not　only　individuals；　but
the　island　generally；　and　ultimately　the　revenue；　should　be　made
compulsory；　in　proportion　to　the　area　of　the　various　holdings；　due
assistance　being　accorded　to　the　proprietors　by　way　of　loans。

The　eucalyptus　is　suitable　for　many　localities　in　the　lowlands　of
Larnaca　and　Famagousta；　and　it　might　be　profitably　introduced　throughout
such　swampy　soils　as　the　neighbourhood　of　Morphu　and　other　similar
positions　with　good　sanitary　results；　but　such　trees　will　represent　the
woods　and　forests　of　the　low　country　without　a　productive　income　to　the
population；　whereas　by　an　enforced　cultivation　of　fruit…trees　upon　every
holding　the　island　would　in　a　few　years　become　a　garden；　and　the
exportation　of　fruit　to　Egypt；　only　thirty　hours'　distant；　would　be　the
commencement　of　an　important　trade；　alike　beneficial　to　the　individual
proprietors　and　to　the　island　generally。

At　the　present　time；　and　for　many　years　past；　Alexandria　has　been
supplied　with　all　fruits　from　Jaffa；　Beyrout；　and　various　ports　on　the
coast　of　Syria；　but　there　is　no　reason　why　Cyprus　should　not　eventually
monopolise　the　trade；　if　special　attention　shall　be　bestowed　（by　the
suggested　department　of　Woods　and　Forests）　upon　the　qualities　and
cultivation　whenever　an　arrangement　for　an　extension　of　planting　shall
be　carried　out。　I　have　never　seen　any　fruits　of　high　quality　in　Cyprus；
but　they　are　generally　most　inferior；　owing　to　the　neglect　of　grafting；
and　the　overcrowding　of　the　trees。　The　cherries　which　grow　in　the
villages　from　2500　to　4500　feet　above　the　sea　are　taken　down　to　Limasol
and　the　principal　towns　for　sale；　but　they　are　small　and　tasteless；
although　red　and　bright　in　colour。　They　grow　in　large　quantities；　and
are　never　attacked　by　birds　which　render　the　crop　precarious　in　England；
and　necessitate　the　expense　of　netting；　should　the　best　varieties　be
introduced；　every　natural　advantage　exists　for　their　cultivation。

The　apricots　are　not　much　larger　than　chestnuts；　and　would　be　classed　as
〃wild　fruit；〃　from　the　extreme　inferiority　of　size　and　flavour；　but
there　is　no　reason　except　neglect　for　the　low　quality　of　a　delicious
species　of　fruit　that　seems　from　the　luxuriant　growth　of　the　tree　to　be
specially　adapted　to　the　soil　and　climate。　It　is　useless　to　enumerate
the　varieties　of　fruits　that　are　brought　to　market；　all　are　inferior；
excepting　grapes　and　lemons。　The　productions　of　the　gardens　exhibit　the
miserable　position　of　the　island；　which　emanates　from　a　want　of
elasticity　in　a　debased　and　oppressed　population　too　apathetic　and
hopeless　to　attempt　improvements。

England　can　change　this　wretched　stagnation　by　the　application　of
capital；　and　by　encouraging　the　development　of　the　first　necessity；
WATER；　without　which；　all　attempts　at　agricultural　improvements；　and　the
extension　of　tree…planting　in　the　low　country；　would　be　futile。　I　shall
therefore　devote　the　following　chapter　to　the　subject　of　artificial
irrigation；　and　its　results。



CHAPTER　XIV。

REMARKS　ON　IRRIGATION。

The　ancient　prosperity　of　Cyprus　must　have　been　due　to　artificial
irrigation；　which　ensured　a　maximum　of　production；　similar　to　the
inundated　lands　of　Egypt。　In　the　latter　country　the　Nile　is　a　〃Salvator
Mundi；〃　without　which　Egypt　would　be　a　simple　prolongation　of　the　Nubian
and　Libyan　deserts；　in　the　absence　of　a　seasonable　rainfall。　The
difference　between　the　great　cereal…producing　portion　of　Cyprus　and　the
Delta　of　Egypt　is；　that；　although　the　plain　of　Messaria　has　been　formed
chiefly　through　the　action　of　the　Pedias　river　and　other　periodical
mountain　streams；　which　have　deposited　a　rich　stratum　of　soil　during
inundations；　the　rivers　are　merely　torrents；　or　simple　conduits；　which
carry　off　the　waters　of　heavy　storms；　or　intervals　of　rain；　and　act　as
drains　in　conveying　the　surplus　waters　during　floods；　while　at　other
times　they　are　absolutely　dry。

If　the　Nile　were　controlled　by　a　series　of　weirs　or　dams；　with　sluices
to　divert　the　high　waters　of　the　period　into　natural　depressions　within
the　desert；　to　form　reservoirs　at　high　levels　for　the　supply　of　Egypt　in
seasons　of　scarcity；　the　command　of　the　water…supply　would　be　far
preferable　to　the　chances　of　rain　in　the　most　favoured　country。　Water；
like　fire；　should　be　the　slave　of　man；　to　whom　it　is　the　first
necessity；　therefore　his　first　effort　in　his　struggle　with　the　elements
should　reduce　this　power　to　vass