are at last being introduced,
and fruit-growers are able to model their practice upon the work carried
out on the specimen trees, alongside their own, reserved by the
Department for such demonstrations.

Lemons are largely consumed by natives with their food. The produce is
of large size, thick-skinned and juicy. Until some twelve years or so
ago the fruit was largely sold on the trees for shipment to Russia and
Rumania, but those markets failed, owing to the prevalence in Cyprus of
scale disease and partly to loss through rotting in transport. The
export of oranges and lemons has of late years been confined almost
entirely to Egypt.

_Fig_ (_Ficus Carica_)

This tree thrives everywhere, and is particularly cultivated at Livadhia
and Lefkara (Larnaca district), in Paphos and at the Tylliria, where the
small, sweet, white variety, locally called "antelounika," is grown.
There are but few true Smyrna figs, but this variety is being multiplied
by cuttings and also by grafting. Other good kinds are the "sarilop" and
"bardajik," of which there are a few private specimens only, and the
"vardika" which is more or less common, particularly at Morphou. The
Lefkara figs somewhat resemble those of Tylliria and, like the latter,
mature naturally; they are considered very good and are divided into two
varieties, the "malantzana" and the "kourtziatika." The figs of Ktema in
Paphos are the common violet-coloured variety, but are larger, and are
mostly ripened artificially.

Cyprus figs are only of moderate quality, though doubtless susceptible
of improvement. They resist drought and generally yield good crops every
year.

The native dried fig is much eaten, and is also used as an adulterant
of, if not a substitute for, coffee, and makes a good beverage, like the
well-known Austrian "feigen cafe." Dried figs are also made into a paste
and mixed with flour to make fig pies ("sykopitae").

The method of oiling, that is, smearing with oil the orifice on the top
of the fig while still unripe, is applied to those varieties which ripen
slowly. It is these varieties which are especially grown in Cyprus. The
fruit so treated is rather tasteless and insipid, but as it comes early
to market it fetches a good price. The reason for hastening the ripening
process by oiling is that the fruit may become ready for picking before
sparrows and hornets get it, as they would otherwise do at that season.
The later crop is more or less immune from