Cyprus: Historical and DescriptiveLöher, Franz von
History
Cyprus: Historical and Descriptive
Löher, Franz von
Cyprus -- Description and travel; Cyprus -- History
done by the wish of the Turkish Government. The Cypriotes have become
so accustomed to attribute every evil of their lives to this source,
that they actually appear to consider their late rulers responsible for
their own reckless indolence.
In order to restore the forests of Cyprus to their pristine luxuriance
only one course can be adopted: All woods and forests must be put
under the immediate protection of Government, and every act of
wanton destruction made punishable. The present trade in resin must
be entirely put down, or only permitted under heavy restrictions.
Should this course be pursued under British rule many districts will
rapidly prove its wisdom. Whole tracts of country, I fear, must be
entirely replanted. The land around the villages should be allotted
to the inhabitants, and boundary lines permanently fixed. A little
encouragement from their priests and schoolmasters would induce the
vain and envious Cypriotes to vie with each other in the cultivation
of their new possessions. I had a long and interesting conversation
on this subject with the late governor of Cyprus, a most enlightened
and high-minded gentleman. His opinions on this point were not less
decided than my own as to the imperative necessity of replanting and
cultivating the Cyprian woods and forests, if the island is ever again
to rise from her present degraded condition. If this is not done,
rivers and streamlets will year by year dwindle away, and waste ground
entirely take the place of what were once well-watered plains. The
pacha strongly urged the desirability of introducing the eucalyptus
upon all the plains and the table rocks before alluded to. I inquired
if this was likely to be done, but my only answer was a deep sigh.
CHAPTER XV.
PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS.
Happily for this unfortunate island, the plagues of locusts which
formerly were very common, are now unknown. An old chronicle informs us
that from the year 1411 to 1413 every tree in the country was perfectly
leafless. During the last century, this terrible scourge—which came
with the north wind from the Caramanian mountains—appeared every
few years, and was principally attributable to the fact that in
the neglected state of the country, these pests of the farmer were
perfectly unmolested, and having once taken possession of the eastern
table lands, laid their eggs there from season to season.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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