have been carried out at the Athalassa Experimental Farm for the purpose
of demonstrating the advantages of careful rearing.

Two fleeces from the Athalassa Farm were sent to the Imperial Institute
in May 1912, for examination and commercial valuation. One was the
fleece of a yearling ram. This was clean, fairly soft and almost white.
The other was the fleece of a yearling ewe. This was clean, slightly
harsh and almost white, but was slightly coarser than that of the ram.

These fleeces were considered by a firm of London brokers as an
excellent class of carpet wool and likely to meet always with a ready
sale in the London market (see BULLETIN OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, vol.
x. 1912, p. 537). A similar opinion was expressed immediately before the
war (July 1914) by a London firm to whom two bales of Cyprus wool had
been sent, of which a part had been purchased in the bazaar and washed
and trimmed by the Department and part came from the Athalassa
(Government) flock. It was considered as "an ideal wool for carpet
making or for blankets, but deficient in lustre for braids."

The actual yield per sheep, viz. 3 to 3-1/2 lb., compares unfavourably
with that of Lincolns, which they most closely resemble. This is due
partly to breed, but largely also to the conditions under which the
sheep are kept (see p. 17).

_Hemp_

The cultivation of hemp (_Cannabis sativa_) is practically confined to
the southern part of the Paphos district, and there only in places where
the water-supply is ample. The plant is grown only for fibre, which is
exclusively used for rope-making, which is carried out by hand by the
villagers round about Ktima. It would be of advantage to have a
rope-making machine at work at a spot centrally situated in the area of
production. A simple hand-worked machine is now being experimentally
used and will, it is believed, turn out a better class of rope.

The plant grows well on fertile and irrigated lands. Farmyard manure,
and specially sheep manure, are generally applied, and chemical
fertilisers are now also coming into use.

Harvesting takes place when the plants begin to turn pale. The plants
are uprooted, not cut, and are made up into sheaves tied together at the
butt end only. The bundles are not more than 2-1/2 spans round, and of
equal size. When first uprooted the sheaves are placed flat on the field
in rows to dry and in such zig-zag fashion that the top end of one sheaf
is always made to rest on