PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS.
Happily for this unfortunate island, the plagues of locusts which
formerly were very common, are now unknown. An old chronicle informs us
that from the year 1411 to 1413 every tree in the country was perfectly
leafless. During the last century, this terrible scourge—which came
with the north wind from the Caramanian mountains—appeared every
few years, and was principally attributable to the fact that in
the neglected state of the country, these pests of the farmer were
perfectly unmolested, and having once taken possession of the eastern
table lands, laid their eggs there from season to season.
When locusts are first hatched, at the end of March, they are no larger
than spring-tails, and congregate in innumerable myriads upon every
bush and plant. A fortnight later, when they have twice changed their
skins, they are fully half a finger long, and have already commenced
their hopping and creeping westwards, destroying every leaf as they
pass. In the next fortnight they again cast their skins twice, and have
their wings fully developed. Now commences their triumphant progress,
and the air is filled with the rushing sound of their destructive
presence. Their rapacity is simply marvellous, fields of corn are
devoured to the very roots, and within a few minutes after their
appearance, fruitful gardens are entirely laid waste. Every edible
thing is destroyed, and it is not at all uncommon for these hideous
swarms to enter the houses and devour everything that they obtain
access to. The work of devastation ended, they fall dead in thousands
of thousands on the sea-shore and open country, filling the air with
their pestiferous breath.
In the present day, Cyprus is mercifully entirely free from this
overwhelming plague. This happy state of things was brought about,
partly, by the energy of the then ruling Turkish pacha, who commanded
that a certain measure of locusts should be collected by every one
for the Government and then buried. The whole population were at once
awakened to the urgency of the case. Trees and shrubs were set on fire
whilst their devouring hosts passed over, and soldiers, horses, and
oxen were called into requisition to stamp out the enemy. The districts
where the eggs lay were ploughed, and no stone left unturned, to render
the general purification as complete as possible. Only money and
people were wanting, to make the attempt sufficiently general.
At this crisis, a large landowner, M. Mattei, residing at Larnaka, hit
upon a simple plan of ridding the country of this annual pestilence.
It had been observed that a locust could not ascend a smooth surface.
The walls of Nikosia to a certain height were therefore made smooth and
whitewashed. Mattei had also calculated that even, when fully winged,
the creatures were compelled to seek the earth at short intervals, and
continue their way by creeping and hopping. He caused ditches to be
dug, and behind these, strips of linen and oil-cloth were stretched
in such a manner as to form low walls; or slight partitions of planks
or other smooth materials were erected. Behind these, other ditches
and similar walls were made at given distances. The locusts came,
and finding it impossible to scale these artificial walls, fell in
masses into the ditches dug for their reception, where they were
either covered with earth, and at once destroyed, or were shovelled
out, thrown into sacks, and buried in other spots. Such as managed
to rise above the first wall, rarely got over the second, and in no
instance reached the third intrenchment. This simple method of freeing
the country of these terrible pests, which was described to me by M.
Mattei himself, was at first only tried about Larnaka and Nikosia, but
so extraordinary was the success of this ingenious experiment that
the example was shortly followed all over the island, with the most
satisfactory results.