cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第64节

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shepherdess　of　our　small　flock；　for　which　she　was　responsible；　they　were
invariably　driven　out　at　4　A。M。　and　brought　home　at　8　to　avoid　the　sun；
and　again　taken　out　from　4　P。M。　till　7。

In　this　simple　manner　we　passed　our　time　at　Trooditissa；　my　amusements
were　my　small　garden；　writing　an　account　of　Cyprus；　and　strolling　over
the　mountains：　the　latter　occupation　being　most　unprofitable；　as　I
destroyed　all　my　boots　upon　the　horrible　surface　of　loose　stones；　in
which　there　was　little　geological　interest；　as　they　were　all　gneiss　and
syenite；　cracked　and　starred　during　a　process　of　subaquean　cooling。　The
deplorable　aspect　of　the　otherwise　beautiful　mountains　was　occasioned　by
the　wholesale　and　wilful　destruction　of　pine…trees；　which　is　the
Cypriote's　baneful　characteristic；　and　as　this　is　one　of　the　most
important　subjects　in　the　modern　history　of　the　island；　I　shall　devote
the　following　special　chapter　entirely　to　the　question　of　〃Woods　and
Forests。〃



CHAPTER　XIII。

WOODS　AND　FORESTS。

The　climate　of　Cyprus　is　extreme　in　temperature　during　the　months　of
June；　July；　August；　and　until　the　close　of　September；　throughout　the
greater　portion　of　the　island　the　treeless　surface　absorbs　the　sun's
rays；　and　during　the　night　radiates　the　heat　thus　obtained；　which　raises
the　thermometer　to　90　degrees　before　sunrise：　while　at　noon　it
occasionally　marks　100　degrees　beneath　the　shade。　A　treeless　country
must　either　be　extremely　hot　or　cold；　according　to　the　latitude；　and
without　a　certain　proportion　of　forest　there　will　be　an　absence　of
equilibrium　in　temperature。　Most　persons　will　have　observed　the　effect
of　heat　radiation　from　rocks；　or　even　from　the　walls　of　a　building　that
have　been　exposed　to　a　summer's　sun　during　the　long　day。　At　about　six
P。M。；　when　the　air　is　cool；　the　sun…heat　stored　by　absorption　escapes
from　its　imprisonment；　and　thermometers　would　exhibit　a　difference　of
many　degrees　if　placed　at　two　feet　from　the　ground；　and　at　fifty；　the
rocks　and　earth　have　been　heated　like　an　oven。　Trees　will　affect　the
surface　of　the　soil　in　the　same　manner　that　an　umbrella　protects　an
individual　from　the　surf；　and　upon　lofty　mountains　they　exercise　a
marked　influence　upon　the　rainfall。　Should　the　summits　be　naked；　the
rocks　become　heated　to　a　high　degree；　and　should　clouds　pass　overhead；
the　vapour　would　not　condense；　but；　on　the　contrary；　it　might　disperse
upon　contact　with　the　heated　surface。　If　the　summits　were　clothed　with
forests；　the　rocks　and　soil；　being　shaded　from　the　sun；　would　remain
cool；　and　the　low　temperature　of　earth　and　foliage　would　condense　the
vapour　and　produce　rain。　It　is　well　known　that　trees　exert　a　direct
influence　upon　meteorological　phenomena；　therefore　should　forests　be
totally　destroyed；　a　change　may　be　expected　in　the　temperature；　attended
by　a　corresponding　decrease　in　the　rainfall。　It　is　obvious　that　should　a
country　be　entirely　covered　with　trees　and　jungle；　it　will　be　too　damp
and　unhealthy　for　the　occupation　of　man；　and　should　it　be　absolutely
barren　of　forest；　it　will　possess　a　minimum　rainfall；　therefore　in　all
countries　that　are　expected　to　develop　agricultural　resources；　the　due
proportions　of　woods　and　forests　require　special　attention。

In　ancient　days　there　can　be　no　question　that　Cyprus　was　rich　in　timber；
and　that　the　mountainous　districts　were　thickly　clothed　to　their　summits
with　valuable　wood　varying　in　species　according　to　altitude。　At　the　risk
of　repetition　I　must　describe　the　qualities　which　now　exist；　and　which
were　no　doubt　exported　from　the　island；　and　became　widely　known　and
appreciated　in　the　early　days　of　Cyprian　prosperity。

Oaks。There　are　several　varieties　of　oak；　but　large　park…like　timber　of
this　species　is　exceedingly　scarce；　and　although　met　with　occasionally
in　grand　spreading　trees　with　trunks　of　large　girth；　they　are　only
sufficient　to　prove　the　destruction　that　has　befallen　their　race。　It　is
most　probable　that　the　oak　was　largely　exported　for　ship…building；　but
as　an　available　forest…tree　it　may　be　said　to　have　disappeared。　The　ilex
is　the　most　common　of　all　woods　upon　the　Troodos　range　and　upon　other
mountains；　but　the　natives　have　made　such　constant　attacks　upon　this
quality　for　the　manufacture　of　charcoal　that　it　is　seldom　met　with　as　a
forest…tree。　It　is　extremely　hardy；　and　through　continual　hacking；　it
has　grown　into　dense　bushes　which　are　generally　about　eight　feet　high；
but　in　very　remote　localities　among　the　mountains　I　have　found　it　in　the
shape　of　timber　growing　to　the　height　of　forty　feet。　There　is　a　third
variety　with　a　prickly　leaf　resembling　holly；　of　an　intensely　dark
green。

Pines。I　have　only　met　with　three　varietiesthe　Pinus　maritima；　Pinus
laricio；　and　the　stone　pine。　The　latter　is　very　rare；　but　may　be　seen　at
Platraes。　The　natives　invariably　pick　the　cones　of　this　species　when
green　for　the　sake　of　the　small　edible　nuts　afforded　by　the　seeds。

The　Pinus　laricio　is　a　handsome　tree　with　a　dark　foliage　and　branches
that　droop　regularly　from　the　summit；　widening　towards　the　base。　It　is
difficult　to　determine　the　maximum　size　that　would　be　attained　by　this
species；　as　the　Cypriotes　seldom　allow　any　tree　to　remain　uninjured。　The
usual　size　of　the　Laracio　on　the　Troodos　range　is　about　fifty　feet　in
height；　with　a　girth　of　six　feet；　but　I　have　frequently　seen　specimens
of　nine　feet　in　girth；　and　about　seventy　to　eighty　feet　in　height。

The　Pinus　maritima　has　a　lighter　foliage　and　the　branches　are　more
spreading；　but　the　size　is　about　the　same　as　the　Laricio。　Both　these
species　are　rich　in　tar　and　turpentine。

Cypress。There　are　two　varietiesthe　dwarf；　which　covers　the
flat…topped　limestone　hills　of　the　Carpas　district；　and　the　fragrant
species　which　grows　upon　the　heights　of　Troodos　and　all　that　range　which
extends　to　Poli…ton…Krysokhus。

The　dwarf…cypress　attains　a　height　of　about　twenty　feet；　and　is
exceedingly　hard　and　durable。　The　fragrant　species　varies　from　thirty　to
thirty…five　feet；　with　a　stem　of　six；　to　sometimes　eight　feet　in
circumference。　The　wood　is　highly　aromatic；　and　I　have　already　described
it　as　resembling　a　mixture　of　sandal…wood　and　cedar。　This　tree　is　known
by　the　Cypriotes　as　kypresses；　while　the　dwarf　variety　is　known　as　the
〃wild　cypress；〃　and　is　called　by　them　〃aoratu。〃

Plane　（Platanus）。This　tree　is　generally　found　in　the　ravines　among　the
mountains；　on　the　borders　of　streams；　and　would　grow　to　a　large　size；
but　its　straight　young　stems　are　much　sought　after　by　the　natives　for
various　purposes；　and　it　is　seldom　allowed　a　chance　of　arriving
unscathed　at　maturity。　Its　light　green　foliage　is　highly　ornamental；
mixed　with　the　dark　shades　of　the　ilex　in　the　deep　bottoms　of　the
gorges；　and　wherever　a　never…failing　stream　is　met　with　the　plane　may　be
expected。

The　elm；　ash；　maple；　walnut；　mulberry；　peach；　apricot；　apple；　pear；
filbert；　fig；　plum；　cherry；　orange；　lemon；　pomegranate；　are　common；　but
as　they　do　not　come　within　the　category　of　trees　indigenous　to　the
natural　forests　of　the　island；　I　shall　not　include　them。

Olive。The　wild　olive　forms　a　considerable　portion　of　the　low
scrub…woods　of　the　Carpas　district；　and　the　young　trees；　when
transplanted　and　grafted；　become　the　accepted　olives　of　cultivation。
There　is　no　reason　why　the　wild　olive　should　not　be　grafted　in　its
natural　position　the　same　as　the　caroub。

Caroub。This　tree　has　already　been　described；　but　although　not　valuable
as　timber；　owing　to　the　short　length　of　its　trunk；　it　should　receive　the
special　attention　of　the　government；　as　its　produce　should　be　extended
to　the　utmost　limit　of　the　capabilities　of　the　island。　If　the　wild　trees
were　grafted　wherever　they　are　met　with；　whole　forests　would　quickly　be
produced　with　a　minimum　of　labour；　and　vast　tracts　of　rocky　soil；
worthless　for　other　cultivation；　would　be　brought　into　value；　at　the
same　time　that　the　surface　would　be　covered　with　the　much　desired
vegetation。

Tremithia。The　wood　of　this　tree　is　of　no　value；　but　the　berries　are
used　as　a　substitute　for　olive…oil；　as　it　grows　in　large　quantities　as　a
shrub；　simply　because　it　is　not　allowed　the　chance　of　arriving　at
maturity；　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　a　few　years　of　forest　supervision　will
add　this　shady　and　highly…ornamental　tree　to　the　list　of　those　common　to
the　island。　The　arbutus；　myrtle；　and　the　mastic　are　trees　of　so　small　a
growth　that　they　cannot　be　classed　with　〃Woods　and　Forests。〃

One　of　the　first　acts　of　the　British　administration　was　a　stringent
prohibition　against　the　felling　of　any　tree　throughout　Cyprus；　or　the
cutting　of　any　wood　for　the　burning　of　charcoal。　This　law　for　the
preservation　of　woods　and　forests　extended　to　trees　upon　PRIVATE
PROPERTY　OF　INDIVIDUALS！thus　the　owner　of　a　garden　could　not　cut　down
one　of　his　own　caroub…trees　if　they　were　too　thickly　planted；　or　if　he
required　a　piece　of　timber　for　making　or　repairing　his　water…wheel。　An
act　for　the　protection　of　crown　forests　was　highly　necessary；　but　no
laws　are　of　value　unless　the　machinery　exists　for　enforcing　them；　and　at
the　present　moment　the　stringent　enactment　against　the　destruction　of
trees　may　be　evaded　like　any　of　the　Ten　Commandments；　because　there