in　the　trade　at　Limasol。　The　old　commanderia　was　sufficiently　sweet　to
  occasion　a　roughness　in　the　throat；　and　each　quality　was　far　too
  luscious　for　English　taste；　but　might　have　been　agreeable　to　sip　like
  Tokay；　by　soaking　a　sponge　biscuit。　The　utterly　rude　method　of　producing
  native　wines；　which　can　scarcely　be　dignified　by　the　term　〃manufacture；〃
  is　a　sufficient　explanation　of　their　inferior　quality；　but　at　the　same
  time　it　is　a　proof　of　the　great　wine…producing　power　of　Cyprus；　where；
  in　spite　of　ignorance　and　neglect；　an　extensive　commerce　has　been
  established；　which　adds　materially　to　the　revenue　of　the　island。　If
  these　badly…made　wines　have　founded　an　important　trade；　there　is　every
  reason　to　expect　a　corresponding　extension　when　scientific　principles
  shall　have　resulted　in　a　superior　quality。
  The　black　wines　receive　even　less　care　than　the　commanderia；　the　grapes
  are　trodden；　and　are　thrown　into　receptacles　to　ferment；　together　with
  the　skins　and　stalks。　This　bruised　mass；　after　lying　a　certain　time
  exposed　to　fermentation；　is　pressed；　and　the　muddy　juice　is　stowed　in
  the　large　tarred　jars　to　ripen　for　a　few　months；　which；　according　to
  Cyprian　taste；　are　sufficient　to　prepare　it　for　consumption。　The　stalks
  and　black　skins；　being　extremely　rich　in　tannin；　have　imparted　to　the
  wine　a　powerful　astringency　and　the　exceedingly　dark　colour　which　so
  disagreeably　distinguish　this　common　quality。　The　growers　imagine　that
  the　extra　amount　of　tannin　is　preservative；　without　which；　their　wine
  might　deteriorate　during　the　rough　treatment　to　which　it　is　subjected　by
  transport　and　exposure；　and　to　their　specially…educated　palates　this
  astringency　is　agreeable；　combined　with　the　strong　flavour　of　tar；　which
  completely　excludes　it　from　the　consumption　of　Englishmen。　Neither　the
  commanderia　nor　any　other　quality　of　wine　is　subjected　to　the　process　of
  〃fining；〃　when　issued　from　the　stores　of　the　merchant；　therefore；　a
  really　bright　clear　wine　is　never　met　with。　The　black　wines　could　be
  considerably　improved　by　allowing　them　to　settle　in　large　vats；　and　by　a
  series　of　rackings　into　other　vessels；　as　they　become　clearer　by
  depositing　their　impurities。　I　have　tried　this　experiment　upon　a　small
  scale　with　success；　and　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　simple　manual
  labour　of　drawing　off　the　clear　wine　to　enable　it　to　fine　itself　by
  precipitating　the　albuminous　matter　that　has　been　fixed　by　the
  superabundant　tannin；　would　render　the　〃mavro；〃　or　black　wine；
  drinkable；　always　excepting　the　presence　of　tar；　which　can　at　once　be
  avoided　by　the　substitution　of　casks　for　the　earthen　jars　and
  goat…skins。
  At　the　expiration　of　the　vintage　the　vines　remain　uncared…for　throughout
  the　autumn　and　winter；　cattle　and　goats　invade　them　ad　libitum　so　long
  as　their　leaves　are　attractive；　and　no　operation　is　performed　until　the
  month　of　March。　At　this　time　they　are　pruned　close　to　the　stocks；　which
  are　generally　about　one　foot　above　the　ground；　and　two　eyes　are　supposed
  to　be　left　upon　each　spur。　But　I　have　watched　the　cultivators　during　the
  process；　and　observed　the　usual　neglect；　sometimes　the　spurs　were　shaved
  off　completely；　without　a　bud　for　next　year's　shoot；　and　at　others　too
  many　buds　were　left；　that　would　weaken　and　disfigure　the　parent　stem。
  The　instrument　for　pruning　was　similar　to　a　very　small　reaping…hook；
  with　a　handle　about　a　foot　in　length；　and　the　delicate　operation　was
  conducted　with　a　rapidity　that　rendered　the　necessary　care　impossible。
  After　the　clearing　of　the　refuse　the　land　is　carefully　ploughed　and
  cleaned。
  I　visited　some　large　wine…stores　in　Larnaca；　where　casks　of　about　300
  gallons　each　were　arranged　in　long　parallel　rows；　all　filled　with
  commanderia　of　various　ages　and　corresponding　prices。
  Having　now　traced　the　liquor　from　the　original　vineyard　into　the
  merchant's　store；　it　will　be　interesting　to　examine　the　network　of
  obstructions　and　extortions　to　which　the　unfortunate　wine…grower　is
  exposed　before　he　can　deliver　his　produce　into　the　hands　of　the
  merchant；　either　at　Limasol　or　elsewhere。
  Consul　Riddell　reported　officially　in　1875　as　follows：
  〃The　wine　trade　of　Cyprus　was　last　year
  exceptionally　large；　owing　to　the　abundant　produce　of
  the　vineyards　in　1874。　The　outcome　of　grapes　and
  wines　in　1875　did　not　exceed　an　ordinary　average；
  and　growers　still　complain　loudly　that　the　imposts
  upon　wines；　reckoning　from　the　grape　to　the　vat；　are
  so　heavyamounting　to　about　35　or　40　per　cent。and
  their　imposition　and　collection　so　very　arbitrary　and
  unequal；　that　many　vineyards　are　being　abandoned。
  〃The　government；　it　is　said；　have　under　consideration
  the　anomalous　state　of　the　wine　trade　in　Cyprus；
  with　a　view　to　relieve　and　redress　the　many　grievances
  of　which　consumers　complain；　and　in　the　meanwhile
  the　collection　of　the　imposts　is　suspended。　Should
  the　result　prove　to　be　the　elaboration　of　a　fair；
  reasonable；　and　consistent　scale　of　duties；　the　revival
  of　the　wine　trade　may　be　reasonably　looked　forward
  to；　and　under　sound　regulations　and　intelligent
  fostering　the　trade　would　undoubtedly　become　a　large
  and　profitable　one　to　this　island。〃
  In　1876；　the　year　following　the　promised　reform；
  Consul　Pierides　reports：
  〃The　quantity　of　all　sorts　of　wine　produced　was
  much　below　that　of　1875。　The　principal　shipments
  were　made　to　Trieste　and　Venice。　The　collection　of
  the　imposts；　which　was　for　a　short　time　suspended；　has
  recommenced；　and　the　manner　in　which　it　is　conducted
  is　still　arbitrary　and　vexatious；　while　remonstrances
  have　hitherto　been　of　no　avail。　It　is　time　for　the
  government　to　put　an　end　to　these　grievances；　which
  indeed　threaten　to　destroy　one　of　the　best　resources
  of　the　island。〃
  In　1877　Consul　Watkins　reports：
  〃The　manufacture　of　wine　here　is　greatly　on　the
  decrease；　for；　owing　to　all　sorts　of　unreasonable
  regulations；　and　to　the　vexatious　mode　of　their
  application；　cultivators　now　prefer　making　their　grapes
  into　raisins。〃
  Here　we　have　consecutive　official　reports　from　three　different　British
  consuls　during　1875…1877。　The　British　occupation　took　place　in　1878I
  am　writing　in　1879and　although　the　grievances　of　the　Cyprian
  wine…growers　were　sufficiently　aggravated　to　call　for　the　vigorous
  reports　and　protests　of　three　different　British　consuls　during　the
  Turkish　administration；　no　amelioration　of　their　condition　has　been
  effected　during　twelve　months　of　British　rule。
  Captain　Savile；　in　his　excellent　digest　of　all　that　concerns　this
  island；　writes：
  〃The　grievances　connected　with　the　culture　of　the
  vines　and　the　manufacture　of　wine　which　are　alluded
  to　in　the　consular　reports；　existed　as　long　ago　as　1863；
  and　were　then　mentioned　by　Consul　White；　who　says
  that　the　peasants　were　even　then　beginning　to　find　it
  more　profitable　to　sell　their　grapes；　or　to　make　them
  into　raisins；　rather　than；　by　turning　them　into　wine；　to
  subject　themselves　to　the　duty　lately　imposed　over　and
  above　the　tithe　and　export　duties；　which　were　collected
  in　a　very　harassing　manner。　The　growers　have　had
  to　pay；　under　the　tax　called　‘dimes；'　an　eighth　part　of
  the　produce　of　grapes　to　the　treasury；　but　this　could
  not　be　taken　in　kind；　so　a　money　value　was　fixed　yearly
  by　the　local　medjlis；　or　fixed　tribunal；　but　as　the　assessment
  was　based　on　the　market…price　at　the　chief　town
  of　the　district；　instead　of　the　value　at　the　place　of
  growth；　this　tax；　instead　of　being　about　12。5　per　cent。；
  in　reality　amounted　to　over　20　per　cent。　Then　again
  when　the　wine　was　made；　an　excise　duty　of　10　per
  cent。　was　levied；　and　on　export；　a　tax　of　8　per　cent。
  had　to　be　paid。　The　natural　consequence　of　these
  excessive　impositions　has　been　the　diminution　of　a
  culture　for　which　the　island　is　particularly　adapted。
  Consul　Lang　suggests　that　it　might　be　wise　to　free　this
  production　from　all　tax；　except　a　proper　export　duty。〃
  How　easy　it　is　to　be　generous　at　the　expense　of　others！here　are
  （including　Consuls　White　and　Lang）　no　less　than　five　British　consuls　who
  have　been　protesting　against　this　instance　of　oppression　and　injustice
  since　the　year　1862；　and　it　would　naturally　have　been　expected　that　one
  of　our　first　acts　upon　assuming　the　government　of　Cyprus　would　have　been
  to　abolish　an　abuse　that　had　excited　the　remonstrances　of　our　own
  representatives。　The　fact　is　that　we　were　reduced　to　a　financial　ebb　of
  the　gravest　character　by　the　absorption　at　Constantinople　of　an　unfair
  proportion　of　the　revenue；　and　our　government　was　not　in　a　position　to
  risk　a　reduction　of　income　by　such　an　important　change　in　the　system　of
  taxation。　The　Cypriotes　have　nevertheless　derived　a　collateral　advantage
  from　the　change　of　rulers；　as　the　extreme　grievances　to　which　the
  consular　reports　allude　were　aggravated　by　the　farmers　of　taxes；　who　no
  longer　exist。　These　people　were　extortioners　of　the　worst　description；
  and　the　bribes　and　extra　payments　extracted　from　the　vine…growers　are
  represented　in　the　gross　sum　mentioned