50 ACxRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



irrigation. An area of 3,460,000 acres, including- most of the best 

 arable land, is held by European colonists, while about 17,290,000 

 acres is still the property of natives. The remainder, including large 

 forested areas and vast tracts of steppe covered with alfa grass, is 

 government land. There is one inhabitant to every 17i acres of land 

 belonging' to Europeans, and one inhabitant to every 5 acres held b}' 

 natives. 



California, with an area slightly exceeding that of Algei'ia (15<>,000 

 square miles), has a population of about 1,500,000. The combined 

 populations of Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New 

 Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming 

 about equal that of Algeria. The traveler in vVlgeria does not, how- 

 ever, get the impression that the colony is well populated. On the 

 contrary, it seems a new country, and capable of far greater agricul- 

 tural development than has yet been attained. 



LAND VALUES. 



In a country like Algeria, where climate, soils, and crops, not to 

 speak of means of comnuinication and nearness to large coinmercial 

 centers, vary so much in diti'erent regions, it is extremel}' difficult to 

 generalize as to the value of the land. Within 20 miles of large towns, 

 where there are good facilities for transportation by road or b}' rail- 

 way, the best land is worth from $25 to $7o an acre. In proportion 

 as remoteness from important centers and difficulties of communication 

 increase, the value diminishes to $10 or less. 



An acre in vines near Algiers, a region unaffected by phylloxera, 

 is worth from $80 to $23(». Orchard and truck land well supplied with 

 artesian water sells for from $S() to $100, and the best market-garden 

 land near Algiers at very nnich higher prices, sometimes as much as 

 $230. Orange groves in full bearing are worth from $480 to $640 per 

 acre. Olive orchards, in land of good ([uality but not capable of irri- 

 gation, range in value from $80 to $240 per acre. An acre of tig trees 

 is valued at $115 to $230. Facilities for irrigation, of course, enhance 

 these values. 



FARM LABOR. 



The great bulk of the farm work in Algeria is done by the native 

 population — Arabs and Kabyles — either in the eini)loy of European 

 colonists or working for themselves on land they own or rent. The 

 Kabyles, among whom the native agriculture of Algeria has reached 

 its highest development, are generally more industrious and more 

 skillful laborers than the Arabs. 



Particularly in the littoral zone of the coast region, where the Euro- 



