50 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



population l)iit lor shipment to Kurope to supply tho winter and 

 early spi'ing markets. Of those which are exported, artichokes, pota- 

 toes, beans, and peas are the most important. The consumption of 

 melons and watermelons in Algeria is very large during the summer. 



The principal iield crops of the colon}^ are cereals. \\'heat and l)ar- 

 ley occupy about 7,<»()0,00() acres annually and supply a large export 

 trade. Indian corn and sorghum are extimsively grown by the 

 natives. Cotton and sugar cane, crops to ^^ Inch Egypt owes so nnich 

 of her wealth, are of small importance in Algeria. The only valuable 

 "industrial'"' crops are tobacco and certain plants used in the manu- 

 facture of perfumery. The cork oak and the grass known as alfa, 

 which contribute largely to the prosperity of the colony, are never 

 artificially' planted and hence are not, strictly speaking, agricultural 

 products. 



The acreage in forage crops is limited, particular!}- in summer, by 

 the scanty water supply. Alfalfa is grown generally in small patches, 

 although on the larger estates good-sized fields are sometimes put into 

 this crop. Sulla has l)eeu fi'cquently reconnnended but has not come 

 into general use. The pods of the carob tree, or St. John's bread, are 

 used for feeding stock. They are consumed in consideral)le quantities 

 in the colon}' and are also exported. Sorghum is also grown exten- 

 sively and affords a valuable supply of summer forag(\ In the 

 autumn, in some localities, vetches are sown with oats or barley and 

 are harvested in the spring. This mixture, either green or cured, is 

 an excellent food for cattle. Oats are grown for export only, barley 

 being the grain commonly fed to horses. 



The greater munl)er of the cattle and sheep of Algeria are raised 

 upon the wild forage which covers the uncleared portion of the hills 

 and plains or springs up in the cultivated fields after the crop of grain 

 has l>een taken oti'. The supply of green pasturage is abundant dur- 

 ing the winter and spring, but the hot, dry sununer soon burns it dry. 

 As cultivated forage is scarce in summer animals often have great 

 ditiiculty in ol)taining feed at tliat season. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 

 COAST REGION. 



The great diversity which the coast region exhi])its in respeci. to 

 climate, topography, and soils is paralleled by the great diversity of 

 its agricultural conditions. A far greater variety of crops is grown 

 there than in either of the other regions. The three zones — littoral, 

 valley and plain, and mountain — are distinguished one from another 

 by agricultural as well as by topographical and climatic peculiarities, 

 so that it will be advisable to give a sketch of each in turn. Roughly 

 speaking, the first is a zone of orchards and market gardens, the second 



