cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第51部分

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and　their　proprietors　in　a　similar　position　to　himself；　however；　there
is　no　help　for　it；　and　they　must　be　patient　through　the　night　while
their　wine　is　imbibing　the　hateful　flavour　of　the　goat…skins。　In　the
meantime　they　must　purchase　food　for　their　mules　and　seek　quarters　for
themselves。

When　the　morning　appears　the　government　official　has　enough　to　do；　and
as　a　certain　time　must　be　occupied　in　weighing　a　given　quantity；　the　day
wears　away。　Every　man　has　to　present　his　teskeri；　or　permit；　for　removal
from　his　village　to　Limasol　of　a　specified　quantity　of　wine；　and　his
load　must　weigh　that　prescribed　weight　upon　delivery。　His　scales　may　not
have　been　exactly　in　harmony　with　those　of　the　government　official；　but
should　the　quantity　exceed　the　teskeri；　the　owner　must　pay　DOUBLE　THE
AMOUNT　OF　TAXATION。

In　the　meantime；　during　the　wrangles　concerning　discrepancies　in　weight；
mules　are　arriving　with　their　loads；　their　owners　all　desirous　of
despatch；　and　the　hours　fast　wearing　away。　The　next　day　is　probably　a
Greek　holiday；　and　all　the　merchants'　stores　are　shut　（there　is　a　Greek
holiday　at　least　once　a　week；generally　twice）。　The　unfortunate
vine…grower；　after　waiting　patiently　in　despair；　discovers　that　he　must
wait　still　longer。　At　length；　after　vexations　and　delays；　he　draws　a
sample　of　wine　into　a　gourd…shell　from　his　skins；　and　hands　it　to　the
merchant；　who；　having　made　a　wry　face　and　spat　it　out；　advises　him　to
〃throw　his　wine　into　the　sea；　as　it　is　undrinkable；〃　having　remained　too
long　in　the　goat…skins　exposed　to　the　sun。　A　most　respectable　informant
related　to　me　the　total　loss　of　a　large　quantity　of　first…class　wine
from　the　delay　thus　occasioned　at　Limasol。　。　。　。

The　refuse；　after　pressing　the　grapes；　is　calculated　to　yield　upon
distillation　a　proportion　of　100　okes　of　spirit　for　every　ten　loads
（1280　okes）　of　wine。　This　pays　a　tax　of　eight　paras　the　oke；　which；
added　to　the　10　per　cent。　upon　the　wine；　makes　a　total　of　15　per　cent。
upon　wine　and　spirit　included。

The　vine…grower；　irrespective　of　the　size　of　his　vineyard；　is　allowed
200　okes　duty　free　for　his　own　consumption；　and　when　his　jars　are
measured　to　determine　the　contents　for　taxation　an　allowance　is　deducted
for　the　muddy　deposit　at　the　bottom。

It　will　at　once　be　seen　by　this　enumeration　of　the　delays　and　vexations
occasioned　by　this　arbitrary　system；　that　it　is　barely　possible　for　the
vine…grower　to　calculate　the　actual　cost　of　his　wine；　as　the　loss　of
time；　expense　of　journeys；　and　uncertainty　of　the　amount　of　delays　are
entirely　beyond　his　control。　It　is　therefore　extremely　difficult　to
discover　the　exact　financial　position　of　the　cultivator；　but　from　the
data　in　my　possession　it　is　nearly　as　follows：

One　donum　of　land；　which　is　supposed　to　measure　a　square　of　fifty　yards；
would　be　about　half　an　English　acre；　and　this　area　is　calculated　to
yield　an　average　of　one　load　and　a　half　of　wine　=　192　okes　=　528　lbs。

The　value　of　the　ordinary　wine　of　the　country　will　average　about　90
piastres　the　load；　wholesale　price；　therefore　one　donum　will　represent　a
gross　value　of　I。5　load　at　90　。。　=　135　piastres　（Cr。）

Against　this　annual　produce　the　natives
calculate　as　follows：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Piastres。
Per　donumExpenses　of　cultivating　the
　　　　　　　　land；　i。e。　ploughing；　weeding；　&c。　。　。　。　。　。　。　25
Pruning　vines　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　10
Gathering　crop　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　10
Feeding　labourers　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　10
Carriage　of　wine　to　market　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　25
TOTAL　government　dues；　including　malliea　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　25
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　___　　___
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Dr。）　105　　135　（Cr。）


This　leaves　a　balance　in　favour　of　the　producer　of　only　30　piastres；
about　5　shillings　per　donum。

But　it　must　be　remembered　that　in　the　above　calculation　his　own　personal
labour　has　not　been　considered；　neither　the　wear　and　tear　of　implements；
jars；　loss　by　accidents　of　seasons；　when　the　wine　turns　sour；　neither　is
any　margin　allowed　for　extraneous　casualties。

At　first　sight　the　position　appears　impossible；　as　a　stranger　would　ask
the　pertinent　question；　〃Why；　if　vineyards　do　not　pay；　does　the　owner
continue　the　occupation？　Why　does　he　not　substitute　some　other　form　of
cultivation？〃　The　answer　is　simple。　Wherever　the　conditions　of　the
locality　permitted；　they　have　already　done　so；　but　vineyards　are
cultivated　where　no　other　crops　could　grow；　upon　the　sides　of　inclines
so　steep　that　it　is　even　difficult　to　stand；　and　these　positions；
although　peculiarly　adapted　for　the　cultivation　of　the　vine　by　reason　of
the　soil；　would　be　absolutely　worthless　for　other　uses。　The　vine
requires　little　water　after　the　young　grapes　have　formed；　and　the
burning　sun…light　which　is　favourable　for　their　development　would
destroy　all　cereals　upon　those　steep　inclinations；　where　a　casual
shower；　instead　of　soaking　into　the　earth　and　nourishing　the　crops；
rushes　quickly　over　the　surface　and　drains　superficially　into　the　deep
vale　below。　The　land　of　the　vineyards　is　WINE　land；　and　adapted
specially　by　the　quality　of　the　soil　and　the　peculiarity　of　climate　for
the　production　of　grapes。　In　addition　to　the　impossibility　of　converting
this　land　to　other　purposes　of　cultivation　would　be　the　loss　to　the
proprietor　of　all　his　plant；　buildings；　jars；　&c。；　&c。；　which　would
become　valueless。

This　is；　as　well　as　I　can　describe　the　grievances；　the　real　position　of
the　vine…grower。　Although　since　the　British　occupation　he　has　escaped
the　extra　extortion　of　the　tax…farmer；　he　is　still　the　slave　of　petty
vexations　and　delays；　which　strangle　him　in　red…tape　and　render　his
avocation　a　misery；　without　profit；　leaving　only　a　bare　subsistence。
What　is　to　be　done？

The　first　necessary　change　is　a　system　of　roads；　only　sufficiently　wide
to　admit　of　the　native　two…wheeled　carts；　with　sidings　every　half　mile
to　enable　them　to　pass　when　meeting。　Our　usual　English　mistake　has　been
made；　in　the　only　two　metalled　highways　that　the　engineers　have
constructed　in　Cyprus；　〃that　everything　must　be　English；〃　thus　we　have
two　costly　roads　of　great　width　from　Larnaca　to　Lefkosia；　and　from
Limasol　to　Platraes；　which　are　entirely　unsuitable　to　the　requirements
of　the　country；　and　as　there　are　no　branch　roads　in　communication；　the
people　are　hardly　benefited；　as　they　cannot　reach　the　main　artery　with
wheeled　conveyances。　The　military　road　from　Limasol　might　as　well　be　a
railway　without　any　branch　traffic；　as　it　is　entirely　independent　of
other　roads：　thus；　should　carts　be　established　to　convey　the　wine　of　the
district　to　Limasol；　they　must　be　loaded　by　mules　that　will　bring　the
produce　from　the　roadless　vineyards　in　the　usual　manner　by　goat…skins；
and　the　wine　will　be　tainted　as　before。　A　network　of　cheap　useful
cart…tracks　can　be　easily　made　throughout　the　wine　districts；　and　they
MUST　be　made　before　any　improvement　in　the　quality　of　the　wines　can　take
place。　The　goat…skins　and　the　tarred　jars　must　be　thrown　aside　before
any　change　can　be　expected：　these　cannot　become　obsolete　until　the
necessary　roads　for　the　conveyance　of　casks　shall　be　completed。

If　we　regard　the　present　position　of　the　vine…grower；　we　must　advise
him　thus：〃The　first　necessity　is　to　improve　your　QUALITY；　and　thus
ensure　a　higher　price。　It　costs　no　more　either　in　labour　or　in　plant　to
produce　a　good　wine　than　to　continue　your　present　rude　method　of
production。　You　may　double　the　value　of　your　wine　by　an　improved　system；
without　adding　materially　to　your　expenses；　you　will　then　have　a　large
margin　for　profit；　which　will　increase　in　the　same　ratio　as　the　quality
of　your　wine。〃

The　grower　will　reply；　〃We　must　have　roads　for　carts　if　we　are　to
substitute　barrels　for　goat…skins。　So　long　as　the　mule…paths　are　our
only　routes　we　must　adhere　to　the　skins；　which　we　acknowledge　are
destructive　to　the　quality　of　the　wine　and　reduce　our　profits。　Give　us
roads。〃

This　is　a　first　necessity；　and　it　is　simply　ridiculous　to　preach　reforms
of　quality　to　the　cultivators　so　long　as　the　present　savage　country
remains　roadless。　It　is　the　first　duty　of　the　government　to　open　the
entire　wine　district　by　a　carefully　devised　system　of　communication：　for
which　a　highway　rate　could　be　established　for　repairs。

If　this　simple　work　shall　be　accomplished　the　goat…skins　will　disappear；
or　should　some　cultivators　cling　to　the　ancient　nuisance；　a　tax　could　be
levied　specially　upon　wine　skins；　which　would　ensure　their　immediate
abolition。　A　new　trade　would　at　once　be　introduced　to　Cyprus　in　the
importation　of　staves　for　casks；　and　the　necessary　coopers。　The　huge
jars　that　are　only　suggestive　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　would　be　used　as
water…tanks；　and　the　wine　would　ripen　in　casks　of　several　hundred
gallons；　and　be　racked　off　by　taps　at　successive　intervals　when　clear。
The　first　deposit　of　tannin　and　fixed　albumen　would　remain　at　the　bottom
of　No。　1　vat；　the　second　deposit　after　racking　in　No。　2；　and　the　wine
which　is　now　an　astringent；　cloudy；　and　muddy　mixture　of　impurities；
would　leave　the　vine…grower's　store　bright；　and　fit　for　the　merchant's
vats　in　Limasol；　and　command　a　more　than　double　price。　This　is　a　matter
of　certainty　and　not　conjecture。　Should　the　black　wines　be　carefully
manufactured；　they　will　be　extensively　used　for　mixing　with　thin　French
wines；　as　they　generally　possess　strength　and　body　in　large　proportion
to　their　price。

It　will　be　universally　agreed　that　the　making　of　the　roads　is　the　first
necessity；　but　if　the　island　is　in　such　financial　misery　that　so
important　a　step　must　be　deferred；　the　grievances　of　the　vine…growers
should　be　immediately　considered。　The　first　question　to　the　cultivator
would　be；　〃What　reforms　do　you　yourself　suggest？〃　He　replies；　〃Fix　an
annual　rate　per　donum；　and　leave　us　free　to　send　our　wine　wherever　we
choose；　without　the　abominable　vexations　and　delays　caused　by　the
present　arbitrary　system；　let　the　tax　per　donum　include　every　charge　for
which　we　shall　be　liable：　we　shall　then　know　at　once　the　limit　of　our
liability。〃　I　cannot　see　any　practical　di