14 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



the larger, often plaiji-like, valleys of the coast region which lie inside 

 the line of hills that follows the seashore, and (3) the mountain zone, 

 including- the higher elevations of the coast region southward to the 

 crest of the ranges that form the northern boundary of the high 

 plateau region. 



COAST REGION. 



The "Tell," as the coast region is known among the Arabs, is, from 

 an agricultural point of view, the most important part of Algeria. 

 A great proportion of it is capable of cultivation. It has been esti- 

 mated that a population of 12,000,000 could be supported in this 

 region alone. It strikingly reseml)les the Mediterranean coast of 

 Europe, and is no less close in its likeness to the coast region of Cali- 

 fornia, so that a description of one will answer in many respects for 

 both. The immediate seashore is bordered b}^ hills and mountains, 

 such as the Sahel of Algiers, the lower slopes of which are occupied 

 largely 1)}^ orchards and vine3"ards. In the higher elevations in the 

 mountains agriculture is more difficult. Here there are extensive 

 areas of grass land, grazed by flocks and herds, and important forests. 

 Opening back from the coast and mainly parallel to it are a number of 

 large valleys. Some of these, like the Mitidja, near Algiers, and the 

 Chelifl', in the western part of the colony, are so extensive and so level 

 of surface as to be practically plains with great areas of cereals and 

 vineyards. The San Joaquin and Sacramento valley's in California 

 are remarkably like these great valleys of Algeria. Smaller valleys, 

 like the Mina and the Habra, where the bordering ranges of hills and 

 mountains are not so far apart and there is less level surface, may be 

 compared to the Santa Clara, Pajaro, and Salinas valleys in California. 



These valleys and the lower slopes of the hills and mountains are 

 the most highly cultivated part of the country, and support the densest 

 population. 



The more distinctiveh^ mountainous regions are naturally less 

 adapted to agriculture; 3^et in the country known as Great Kabylia, 

 the "Switzerland of Algeria," which contains the highest mountains 

 of the colon}', there is a very large population, the greater part of 

 which is devoted to farming. This district lies to the east of Algiers. 

 It forms an arc, of which the Djurdjura range of mountains is the 

 chord and the seacoast is the circumference. For a long distance the 

 crest of the Djurdjura range does not fall below 1,000 feet, while 

 there are several peaks that exceed 7,000 feet in elevation. Leila 

 Khedidja, the highest summit, has an altitude of 7,611 feet. Between 

 this great chain and the coast there is a succession of high ridges sep- 

 arated by deep, narrow valleys and gorges. Anyone who has seen 

 both regions will be struck by the resemblance between Great Kabyha 



