94 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



CORK. 



. The total area occupied by the cork oak in Algeria is estimated at 

 1,025,000 acres, of which 725,000 acres are being- exploited at the 

 present time. About 60 per cent of the entire area belongs to the 

 public domain. The total production of cork in 181>9 amounted to 

 15,900 tons. It is estimated that if all the cork oak of the colony 

 were in a productive state an aniuial revenue of from $2,000,000 to 

 $4,000,000 could be derived from this source. 



The cork oak ranges from sea level up to about 4,500 feet, the largest 

 forests being found in the mountains of the coast region in north- 

 eastern Algeria, the western part of the colony l)eing generally too dry 

 for this tree. It avoids limestone, attaining its highest development 

 on soils derived from the Numidian sandstone, where these soils are 

 underlain by a subsoil heavy enough to retain considerable water. 



The tree is usual 1}^ of medium height and size, but its trunk some- 

 times reaches a circumference of more than 30 feet. The largest 

 individuals'are invariably hollow. The crooked truidt and irregular 

 branching give this tree an unkempt, straggling appearance. The 

 evergreen foliage resembles that of the live oak of the Southern 

 States. The wood is of little value, the important products of this 

 tree being cork and tan bark. 



Well-managed forests of cork oak are kept free from undergrowth, 

 thus diminishing the likelihood of loss from fire, to which they are 

 peculiarly liable. The danger is greatest in September, when the 

 sirocco is blowing. Fires are often wantonly kindled in the oak for- 

 ests by malcontent natives and spread with terrible rapidity, fre- 

 quently devastating vast areas. Only natural forests are exploited in 

 Algeria, no attempt ever having been made to establish artiticial 

 plantations. 



In bringing a forest of cork oak into condition for exploitation the 

 tirst step is to remove the layer of old or "male" cork which forms 

 under natural conditions. This operation, which requires considerable 

 skill, is performed in the spring when the sap is beginning to rise. 

 The subsequent yield depends largely upon the way in which this work 

 of ' ' demasclage " is done. It is advisable to put back into place the 

 layer thus removed, fastening it around the trunk by means of wire 

 and leaving it there for about two years; otherwise the trees are 

 very liable to injury from dry, hot winds and from tire. Wrapping 

 the trees in this way also prevents a second development of the worth- 

 less male cork. 



The new cork which now begins to form is alone of commercial 

 value. It is deposited at the rate of from 0.04 to 0.12 inch annually, 

 and the first harvest is taken when the layer of cork has reached a 

 thickness of about 1 inch. Thereafter the cork is removed every 



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