omes more known.

_Mangold Wurzel_

This crop has been grown for several years at the Government Farm,
Athalassa, where it has done well and forms an important part of the
cows' rations. It has been grown successfully on a small scale in some
of the Nursery Gardens.

As irrigation, deep ploughing, thorough cultivation of the soil and
special cultural operations are needed, this crop cannot be generally
recommended to farmers, but it is being grown by a few progressive stock
owners under Departmental advice.

The wild beet (_Beta vulgaris_) is a native of the seacoasts of
South-eastern Europe, and the garden beet-root is much grown in Cyprus
in certain localities, so, if carefully cultivated, mangold wurzel,
which is a variety of _B. vulgaris_, might also do well in many parts
and be of great advantage to stock owners.

_Prickly Pear_ (_Opuntia_)

The prickly pear grows wild as a hedge plant in Cyprus. The fruit is
eaten to some extent by villagers, but no attempt has yet been made to
use the stems as food for animals. In Sicily very large quantities are
so utilised, and now that milch cows are coming more into demand in
Cyprus the value of the plant for fodder may become recognised.
Successful experiments have been made by the Agricultural Department in
mixing the juice of the stems with lime for giving brilliance and
permanence to ordinary whitewash. There has been an occasional export of
the fruit to Egypt for consumption by Arabs.

SPICES

_Coriander Seed_

Coriander seed is the product of _Coriandrum sativum_, Linn., an annual
herb belonging to the natural order Umbelliferae. The "seed," or more
strictly fruit, of the plant is employed in confectionery in making
bonbons, in the preparation of certain liqueurs and as an ingredient for
disguising the taste of medicines. In Cyprus it is commonly used as a
flavouring in cooking.

A sample sent to the Imperial Institute in 1917 was examined as a source
of volatile oil, and the residue remaining after distillation was
analysed as a feeding-stuff. On steam distillation the ground seed
yielded 0.48 per cent. of an almost colourless volatile oil with the
characteristic and pleasant odour of coriander. This yield is below that
furnished by Russian and German coriander, but is about equal to that
obtained from Morocco seed. The results of the examination indicate
that the residue has a fairly high feeding-value, and it would be quite
suitable for the ordina