tacia_

Several species of _Pistacia_ occur in Cyprus, and although they yield
products of different kinds, it will be convenient to deal with them
together in the present section.

The pistachio nut (_Pistacia vera_), locally called "Aleppo pistachio,"
is a native of Persia and Arabia and it was thought, until a few years
ago, that it would not thrive in Cyprus. That is, however, a fallacy,
which is rather confirmed by the fact that the _P. Terebinthus_ and the
_P. Lentiscus_ are indigenous to the Island. It is considered that the
best method of cultivation is to bud _P. vera_ on _P. Terebinthus_.
Though they grow more slowly, these budded trees are more robust and
better resist drought, cold and moisture. The trees should yield fruit
in five years from the time of grafting. A fair number of these trees
have now been distributed from the Government Nursery Gardens.

This tree provides the pistachio nuts which are now imported from Syria
and Chios.

Male trees do not usually flower at the same time as female;
consequently there has been difficulty in getting fruit with seeds, and
recourse must in that case be had to artificial fertilisation.

* * * * *

The Palestine or turpentine tree (_P. palaestina_), local name
"tremithos," grows in certain parts of the Island, but is seen at its
best in the Paphos district, especially in and around the town of Ktima.
The fruit is eaten fresh or salted and dried. It yields 10 to 15 per
cent. of edible oil which has a certain local demand. A medium-sized
tree may produce up to 60 to 80 okes of fruit. After crushing and
expression, the residue together with the seed is found to be a good
food for pigs. A small consignment of both the dried and salted fruit
and of the residue was sold in Egypt in 1916 and realised 5 to 6 cp. per
oke for the former, and 3_s._ to 4_s._ per kile for the latter.

By making incisions in the trunks of both the male and the female trees
a gum or turpentine known as "Paphos tar" is obtained, which fetches as
much as 8_s._ to 10_s._ per oke. It is used locally for chewing.

This is one of the largest trees in the Island and is of handsome shape.
It is deciduous and some fine specimens are met with.

* * * * *

_Pistacia Lentiscus_, locally known as shinia, or shinia bush, abounds
all along the coasts of the Island. From the seeds of this shrub an oil
is expressed which is used for culinary