48 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



farm manure is obtainable it is thought to be more beneficial than any 

 commercial fertilizer, since Algerian soils are often deficient in organic 

 matter and manure has a very beneficial physical effect upon them. 

 It is considered good practice to apply manure in the autunm, after a 

 year of fallow, thus obtaining an abundant crop of wild forage the 

 following winter. Grain is then grown during the second and third 

 winters after the application of manure, 



PREPARATION OF THE I,AND. 

 CLEARING AND LEVELING. 



In the coast region some of the best land is still covered with a dense 

 growth of brush, comprising lentisk, jujube, heath, broom, and other 

 characteristic shrubs of the Mediterranean region. This shrubby 

 vegetation is luxuriant in proportion to the depth and fertility of the 

 soil. Its remov^al generally costs about IK) an acre. In the neighbor- 

 hood of cities this expense can partly be met l)y the sale of the wood 

 removed and of charcoal made from it. It costs still more, from $20 

 to 124 an acre, to clear land which bears a heavy growth of dwarf 

 palm, a deep-rooted plant that still covers extensive areas in Algeria. 

 The roots of the palms can be loosened by means of a steam plow, and 

 then removed with a pick. In the work of clearing land, Spanish, 

 Moroccan, and Kabyle laborers are most expert. 



Leveling is done with scrapers, which are generally drawn by horses. 

 The average expense of leveling an acre, if two men and three animals 

 are employed, is about $8. 



PLOWING. 



The Arab plow, generally used in Algeria, has the forward part 

 supported directly by the yoke or harness of the animal which draws 

 it, while the working part is limited practically to the share. The 

 Kab34e plow consists of two pieces of wood (often the forked branch of 

 a tree) meeting at nearly a right angle, the upright piece being shaped 

 so as to serve as a handle, while to the horizontal piece the iron share 

 is fastened. Two wooden projections at the end of the horizontal 

 piece, just above the share, serve to widen the furrow that is made. 

 The beam is fastened, by means of a peg, into the angle made by the 

 two pieces. One end of the beam is fastened by a strap directly to the 

 wooden yoke of the animal wliich draws the plow. One man works 

 the plow, driving the animal with one hand and holding the handle 

 with the other. The instruments used ))y the natives break up the 

 soil only to a very small depth. Among the European colonists 

 improved modern plows are now coming into use. On the largest 

 farms steam plows, operated by two 16-horsepower engines, are some- 

 times used. In some of the larger towns steam plows can bo hired. 



