States of America at L2 each. This high price checked the importation
and the crossing of Cyprians with Italians and blacks took place, the
hybrid offspring being sold by dealers as Cyprians. These, however, did
not possess the best characteristics of Cyprians, and for a time they
brought about a reaction in favour of other breeds.

Cyprus possesses excellent honey-producing plants in the eucalyptus
trees, orange groves, "throumbia" or wild thyme, and other aromatic
plants.

In the neighbourhood of orange groves a competent bee-keeper can obtain
an average of 50 lb. of honey per colony; although unfortunately the
ordinary village bee-keeper gets little more than 6 to 10 lb.

Locally produced beeswax is of fine quality with delicious aroma and of
a bright yellow colour, said to be superior to that imported from Asia
Minor and Egypt.

The industry is susceptible of considerable development and, when
brought under more complete control, should be capable of establishing a
good export trade of honey and possibly of beeswax.

_Basket-making_

Basket-making is a considerable industry, as all fruit and much other
produce is transported in baskets mostly designed for the backs of
donkeys or mules. The export trade of fruit and vegetables creates a
constant demand (see Plate VII, fig. 2). The bulk of these baskets are
made of reeds (_Arundo_) which grow luxuriantly by the side of water
channels or wherever moist soil is found. This material is not an ideal
one for the purpose, as the baskets are easily crushed and lose shape,
to the detriment of the contents. The reeds are therefore often
stiffened by the introduction of an occasional breadth of some other
material, _e.g._ shinia (_Pistacia Lentiscus_), tremithia or myrtle. All
these are much used in basket-making, though the latter is heavy. There
is a native willow (_Salix alba_) and also the weeping willow (_S.
babylonica_). These have not been used until recently when, by the
efforts of the Agricultural Department, a number of these trees have
been pollarded and the new shoots have been found quite satisfactory for
the purpose.

Six years ago a number of osier cuttings were imported from England, but
unfortunately they have not succeeded so far owing to a succession of
dry years. The surviving plants were this autumn removed to a more
suitable site, but after suffering from drought they have now been
almost destroyed by heavy floods.

In order to encourage the ma