the butt end of another, and thus does not
come into contact with the ground: this ensures the circulation of air
and hastens the drying process. The sheaves are taken later to the
threshing-floors, where they are stood upright until they are dry. The
seed is separated by beating. The sheaves are exposed to the sun until
the leaves are shed, and when the stems are entirely dry the bundles are
tied up at both ends and are taken to the retting-place, which is
usually the common stone tank or cistern of the country. There they are
steeped in water for six to nine days. The bundles are generally covered
by about one foot of water. On the sixth day the fibre is tested. If it
separates easily the bundles are removed, if not they remain for another
two or three days. This requires much care and experience, as the
quality depends largely upon effective retting. Then they are taken out
of the water and sun-dried, being piled up into pointed shooks, left
hollow in the centre.

The fibre is separated by means of a wooden implement locally called
"melidjia." This consists of a wooden trough placed on two legs which
are fixed in the ground. A wedge-shaped piece of wood which is hinged to
the trough at one end is used as the beater. The hemp stalks, after the
butts are cut off, are placed in the trough and the beater worked up and
down so as to split the stalks and lay bare the fibre.

The average production of fibre per scala is 60 to 80 okes, but where
conditions are all favourable it may reach 160 to 200 okes and the seed
yield may be anything from 80 to 200 okes per scala.

_Silk_

The silkworm (_Bombyx mori_) finds in Cyprus a climate exceptionally
favourable to its development, and Cyprus silks have been famous for
their quality throughout the middle ages and as far back as the sixth
century A.D., when Greek monks first introduced silkworms from China.

In the fateful year 1845, when the disease pebrine nearly destroyed the
silk industry of Europe, the anxious search for healthy silkworm eggs
that then ensued led Arabs from Syria to visit Cyprus and buy large
quantities of silk cocoons from which they raised and exported the eggs.
At that time, therefore, it is evident that Cypriot moths were well
thought of. Pebrine soon reached Cyprus and almost brought the Island
breed to an end. Thanks, however, to the Pasteur system, whereby pebrine
and other silkworm diseases have been brought under complete control,
the industry