CtiltiLve of Eucalyptus in Algeria. 369 



positively ou the subject. I have been assured, however, by the Govern- 

 ment of Algeria that from 2,000 to 3,000 hectares of land, situated between 

 the Oned Ouran and the Oiied Ras, ii-rigable by the barrage of the Chelif, 

 might be found there well suited for the purpose. 



Barrage of La Djldiouia. — The most important barrages are in the 

 valleys on the south side of the river, at La Djidiouia, 2G3 kil. from 

 Algiers ; a magnificent dam of cut stone and hydraulic cement has been 

 built across a gorge in the course of the river, thus forming a lake, 

 containing 2,000,000 cubic metres of water. 



Barrage of the Mina, — At Kelizaue there is a barrage of another nature ; 

 at a spot where the river Mina leaves the level plain in which it has 

 hitherto flowed to enter by a series of rapids a lower rocky bed, a dyke has 

 been constructed to raise its level and to divert the water into canals on 

 either side for the irrigation of the country around. 



Barrage of the Oacd Ferzoug. — The finest of all, however, is the barrage 

 of the Oaed Ferzoug, near Perregaux, 3iG kil. from Algiers, and 76 kil. 

 from Oran. This work, as w^ell as the railway now being constructed 

 between Arzew and Saida, is due to the private enterprise of M. Debrousse, 

 who has received no guarantee of interest, l)ut a concession of 24,000 

 hectares of irrigable land between Perregaux and the sea, most of which is 

 at present unreclaimed, either in the state of tamarisk forest or of pestilential 

 swamp. 



The barrage is situated at the junction of three rivers ; it measures 50i) 

 metres in length, and contains the enormous quantity of 32,000,000 cubic 

 metres of water. I need not allude to the other works of a similar nature, 

 I only wish to show that, dry as the plain of the Chelif and the Mina is, 

 there are not wanting considerable tracts of land capable of artificial 

 irrigation. 



Price of Land in the Plain of lite Chelif. — The price of land is no //here 

 high ; almost any quantity can be purchased at 50 or 60 fr. a hectare, and I 

 w'as shown beautiful land, cleared and irrigable, which might be had at 100 fr. 



One property particularly struck me ; it consisted of GOO hectares, one 

 side was bounded by the river Chelif, the other by the Dahra, the range of 

 hills along its right bank. A part of it was watered by a stream descending 

 from those mountains, and I saw on the opposite bank of the river an 

 artesian well which brought water to the surface of the ground, fi'om which 

 I inferred that the same thing might be practicable on the property to which 

 I allude. It was traversed by a high road, and a bridge across the river wjs 

 about to be constructed ; an important Arab market took place on the land 

 every week ; and in addition it had a large dwelling-house, which was, 

 however, much out of repair; with all these advantages the property was 

 for sale for G0,000 fr. (£2,400). 



Considerable numbers of Eucalyptus have been planted all along the 

 line of railway from Algiers to Oran. Where this line passes through the 

 Metidja the trees have grown most successfully, but in the Chelif they 

 have failed in almost every cas3. It is true that they have not been 

 tended in any way, they have merely l)een planted and lelt to their fate. 



2c 



