THE FORESTS OF ALGERIA. 1 9 



of one species or one species largely predominates. This is true of the pine 

 and the cedar forests to a marked degree; e.g., in the pine forests on Mount 

 Gorno and the cedar near Batna. 



Commercially speaking, the cork oak is at present the most important 

 species in Algeria. It occupies about 600,000 acres, and the yearly yield 

 is valued at nearly $1,000,000. It may be seen along the railroad between 

 Tunis and Constantine and east of Algiers. When old the species has a 

 peculiarly gnarled appearance, with a short, stout bole, usually hollow, 

 which may become 10 feet in diameter, with irregular, straggling branches. 

 It is less symmetrical in nature than under cultivation, as in the Santa 

 Clara Valley and Santa Barbara, California, where a few specimens may 

 be found. Another species of oak, Quercus ballota, of no great commercial 

 importance, provides the source of the acorns in general use among the 

 natives for food. The acorns are found in all markets, even (as in Ouargla 

 and Ghardaia) where transportation for considerable distance is necessary ; 

 they are less astringent and hence more pleasant than those of most species. 

 Although Q. ballota appears not to be planted for its fruit, it has been stated 

 (Kearney and Means, loc. cit.) that the Kabyles preserve such selected 

 trees as have superior fruit, which would perpetuate the best-liked varieties. 

 It may be remarked in passing that the seeds of the pine are also in com- 

 mon use among the Arabs as a food, although not employed so generally 

 nor in so many ways as the acorn. 



The cedar (Cedrus atlantica), the most beautiful tree in Algeria, is found 

 in high altitudes only and on mountains separated from one another, but 

 always in the more northern Atlas ranges. In the following mountain 

 groups are to be found the main cedar forests, namely: Ouarensis, Teniet, 

 Blida, Babor, Maadid, and the Aur£s. The forest seen was that near Batna, 

 near the western base of the most important range in Algeria, the Aures. 

 Somewhat below the lower limit of the Batna cedar forest is an open forest 

 of oaks (Quercus mirbeckii), Juniperus oxycedrus, and J. phcenicea, mingled 

 with which are shrubs suggesting those of the desert, such as Acanthyllis 

 numidica and Retama sphcerocarpa, as each genus is represented south of 

 the Saharan Atlas on the open desert. These species are mainly confined 

 to the southern facing, and hence on the side of the mountains opposite 

 the beginning of the cedar. By the roadside are to be seen also several 

 specimens of Juniperus oxycedrus badly infested with the mistletoe (Arceu- 

 thobiumoxycedri). In one instance the unusual condition was observed of a 

 mistletoe group remaining alive on a host branch which appeared to be 

 dead for several inches below the point of attachment. 



The first representatives of the cedar forest were encountered as strag- 

 glers in the dry wash at the north base of the mountain on which the forest 

 is situated. In part these trees were shapely, with a taper summit, and in 

 part they were short, with a summit broad and flat, in effect like an inverted 

 cone. When the main forest was entered the trees were mainly of the type 



