The American Lorenzo Warriner Pease gathered information about agriculture in Cyprus:
The greek στρέμμα (or acre) contains 60x60 yards. 3600sq. yards. The aga tells me that every stremma produces from 3 ½ to 5 ½ and even 16 bushels of wheat. The people work one lot one year, and leave it ploughed the next, without putting any seed into it. Sometimes the year is unfavourable, they have not water enough and hence their crop are small. They are therefore obliged to save the surplus of their fruitful years for others unfavourable. It is easy to see that in such countries famines can be produced. The aga’s wife spins silk now. She says that it takes her about 2 days to fill her spindle. The spindle is twisted by the hand and is suspended by the thread, which she spins. It is primitive.