cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第66节

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！



The　pine　and　cypress　are　the　trees　most　generally　attacked；　and；　as　I
have　already　shown；　there　is　no　difficulty　whatever　in　their
preservation　should　the　requisite　staff　of　officials　be　appointed。　It
should；　however；　be　borne　in　mind　that　the　preservation　of　woods　and
forests　is　a　simple　matter　compared　with　the　absolute　necessity　of　their
extension；　it　is　therefore　desirable　to　examine　the　capabilities　of　the
island　for　tree…culture。

When　Cyprus　was　first　occupied　by　British　troops　the　English　newspapers
were　full　of　superficial　advice　suggested　by　numerous　well…meaning
correspondents　who　were　utterly　devoid　of　practical　experience　in
tree…planting；　and　a　unanimous　verdict　was　given　in　favour　of　the
Eucalyptus　globulus；　and　other　varieties　of　the　same　tree；　irrespective
of　all　knowledge　of　localities　and　soils。

The　absence　of　money　would　be　the　only　excuse　for　any　delay　in
experimental　tree…culture。　The　seeds　of　the　eucalyptus　were　sent　out　in
considerable　quantities　to　the　various　chief　commissioners　of　districts
for　cultivation；　as　though　these　overworked　and　ill…paid　officers　were
omniscient；　and　added　the　practical　knowledge　of　horticulture　to　their
military　qualifications。　Every　commissioner　that　I　saw　had　a　few　old
wine　or　beer　cases　filled　with　earth；　in　which　he　was　endeavouring　to
produce　embryo　forests　of　the　varieties　of　eucalyptus；　to　be　planted　out
when　germinatedhow；　when；　or　where；　he　could　not　tell。　Of　course　all
these　attempts　ended　in　failure。　There　should　have　been　an　experienced
gardener　specially　appointed　for　the　purpose　of　raising　and　planting　out
the　young　trees　adapted　for　the　various　soils　and　altitudes　of　the
country；　and　such　trees　should　have　been　ready　for　their　positions　at
the　commencement　of　the　winter　months　in　November。　The　commissioners
worked　in　this　new　occupation　with　the　same　praiseworthy　energy　that
distinguished　them　throughout　all　the　trying　difficulties　of　their
appointment　as　rulers　in　a　strange　country；　where；　without　a　knowledge
of　the　language　or　customs；　they　were　suddenly　called　upon　to　confer
happiness　and　contentment　upon　an　oppressed　population　by　administering
TURKISH　laws　in　the　essence　of　their　integrity。

The　Cypriotes　had　expected　to　see　England　and　the　English　as　their
rulers；　but　like　the　well…known　saying；　〃Scratch　a　Russian　and　you
discover　the　Tartar；〃　they　might　have　〃scratched　an　Englishman　and　have
found　the　Turk；〃　in　the　actual　regime　that　we　were　bound　to　maintain
according　to　the　conditions　of　the　British　occupation。

The　native　mind　could　not　understand　the　reason　for　the　stringent　rule
prohibiting　the　cutting　of　trees　and　they　came　to　the　conclusion　that
our　government　contemplated　some　selfish　advantage；　and　that　the　forests
were　eventually　to　be　leased　to　a　company。　When　they　shall　see
tree…planting　commenced　by　the　government　upon　an　extensive　scale　they
will　believe　in　the　undertaking　as　intended　for　the　welfare　of　the
island。

Whenever　this　important　and　necessary　work　shall　be　organised；　it　is　to
be　hoped　that　〃common　sense〃　will　be　employed　in　the　selection　of　trees
adapted　for　the　various　localities；　and　that　no　absurd　experiments　will
be　made　upon　a　large　scale　by　introducing　varieties　foreign　to　the
island　until　they　shall　have　been　tested　satisfactorily　in　botanical
nurseries　established　at　various　altitudes。

There　are　various　local　difficulties　that　must　be　considered　in　addition
to　soil　and　climate；　the　most　important　is　the　presence　of　vast　numbers
of　goats　throughout　the　mountains；　that　would　utterly　destroy　certain
varieties　of　young　plants。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　climate　and
soil　are　specially　adapted　for　the　introduction　of　the　common　larch；
which　would　grow　quickly　into　value　for　the　much…needed　poles　for
rafters　and　beams　for　the　flat…topped　roofs；　but　this　tree　is　eagerly
devoured　by　sheep；　goats；　and　cattle；　and　would　be　destroyed　in　its
first　stage　unless　protected　by　fencing。　It　will　be　a　safe　rule　to　adopt
the　native　trees　as　a　guide　to　future　extension；　as　the　varieties　of
such　classes　as　are　indigenous　will　assuredly　succeed。　The　two　existing
pines　are　shunned　by　goats　even　when　in　their　earliest　growth；　and　they
are　so　ineradicable　that　were　the　forests　spared　and　allowed　to　remain
without　artificial　planting；　in　ten　years　there　would　be　masses　of　young
trees　too　thick　for　the　success　of　timber。　The　rain；　when　heavy；　washes
the　fallen　cones　from　the　highest　points；　and　as　they　are　carried　by　the
surface　water　down　the　steep　inclines　they　hitch　among　the　rocks　and
take　root　in　every　favourable　locality。　Here　we　have　two　native　trees
that　will　plant　themselves　and　flourish　without　expense；　invulnerable　to
the　attacks　of　goats；　and　only　demanding　rest　and　time。　On　the　other
hand；　they　might　be　planted　at　regular　intervals　with　so　small　an　outlay
that　their　artificial　arrangement　would　be　advisable。

The　cypress　may　be　extended　in　a　similar　manner。

The　presence　of　several　varieties　of　oak　would　naturally　suggest　the
introduction　of　the　cork…tree　and　the　species　which　produces　the
valonia；　which　forms　an　important　article　of　trade；　and　is　largely　used
in　England　by　the　tanner。　This　cup　of　the　acorn　of　the　Quercus　aegilops
is　extremely　rich　in　tannin；　and　ranges　in　price　from　20　to　30　pounds
sterling　per　ton　delivered　in　an　English　port。　It　is　exported　largely
from　the　Levant；　and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　its　introduction　to
Cyprus　would　eventually　supply　a　new　source　of　revenue。

The　climate　and　soil　of　the　Troodos　mountains　would　be　highly　favourable
to　the　cork…tree；*　which　would　after　thirty　or　forty　years　become
extremely　valuable。　The　box　might　be　introduced　from　the　mountains　of
Spain；　also　the　Spanish　chestnut；　which　for　building　purposes　is
invaluable；　as　not　only　practically　imperishable；　but　fire…proof。　It　is
not　generally　known　that　the　wood　of　the　Spanish　chestnut　is　so
uninflammable　that　it　requires　the　aid　of　other　fuel　to　consume　it　by
fire；　it　might　be　used　with　great　advantage　in　massive　logs　for　upright
pillars；　to　support　beams　of　similar　wood　in　warehouses。

（*The　cork　oak　is　mentioned　in　some　works　on　Cyprus　as　indigenous　to　the
island；　this　is　a　mistake。　The　ilex　is　plentiful；　but　not　the　cork…tree。）

Although　the　walnut　cannot　be　classed　with　forest…trees　indigenous　to
Cyprus；　it　flourishes　abundantly　at　a　high　elevation；　ranging　from　about
2500　to　5000　feet　above　the　sea。　At　Trooditissa　monastery　there　are
trees　that　were　planted　by　the　hands　of　the　old　monk；　my　informant；　only
twenty　years　ago；　which　are　equal　in　size　to　a　growth　of　fifty　years　in
England。　The　planting　of　walnuts　should　certainly　be　encouraged；　as　the
wood　is　extremely　valuable；　at　the　same　time　that　the　crop　yields　an
annual　revenue。

The　preservation　and　extension　of　the　woods　and　forests　throughout　the
mountainous　districts　of　Cyprus　are　a　simple　affair；　which　only　requires
capital　and　common　sense　combined　with　the　usual　necessary　experience。
There　are　other　portions　of　the　island　which　require　a　different
treatment。

It　is　the　fashion　to　accredit　every　portion　of　Cyprus　as　tree…bearing　in
its　early　history；　but　if　the　student　will　compare　the　large　population
reported　to　have　existed　at　that　time　with　the　superficial　area　of　the
island；　it　will　be　plainly　seen　that　a　very　large　proportion　must　have
been　under　cultivation；　otherwise　supplies　must　have　been　imported。　I
have　before　mentioned　my　opinion　that　the　hard　bare　surface　of　the
denuded　cretaceous　hills　could　never　have　borne　timber；　neither　do　I
believe　in　the　traditions　concerning　forests　in　the　plain　of　Messaria；
for　the　simple　reason　that　it　must　have　been　the　cereal…producing　area
of　the　island。

The　ancient　forests　must　have　existed　where　the　vestiges　remain　to　the
present　day；　in　which　localities　the　natural　inclination　of　the　soil　is
to　produce　trees；　which　are　still　represented；　in　spite　of　the　hideous
destruction　perpetrated　by　the　inhabitants　during　many　centuries。　These
positions　include　the　entire　Carpas　district；　together　with　the　long
range　of　compact　limestone　mountains　forming　the　northern　wall　of　the
island；　the　northern　coast　and　western；　comprising　the　country　between
Poli…ton…Khrysokhus；　and　Baffo；　and　the　central　and　coast…line　from
Baffo　to　Limasol；　with　exceptions　of　lands　here　and　there　cultivated
with　cereals。　The　greater　portion　of　the　mountains　that　are　now　occupied
with　vineyards　were　originally　forests；　which　have　been　cleared
specially　for　the　cultivation　of　the　vine。　I　have　seen　ground　at　an
elevation　of　4800　feet　where　the　vineyards　originally　existed　upon
cleared　forest　soil；　which；　having　been　abandoned；　is　relapsing　into　its
former　state；　becoming　more　or　less　covered　with　pines　as　birds　may　have
dropped　the　seeds；　or　the　cones　may　have　been　driven　from　higher
altitudes　by　wind　and　rain。

The　question　that　must　now　be　determined　is　this：　〃What　portions　of　the
island　are　to　be　restored　to　forest？〃　Any　person　who　has　carefully
examined　the　country　can　reply　without　hesitation；　〃Plant　all　useless
lands　with　trees；　those　useless　lands　are　already　more　or　less　covered
with　bush　or　woods；　and　den