AGRICULTURAL SERVICES IN MOROCCO 1569 



at the ports by veterinary surgeons provided with special powers and 

 remunerated by visiting and quarantine fees. 



The chief steps that have been taken up to the present have dealt 

 with the formation of forage reserves, the establishment of watering pla- 

 ces in the chief cattle districts and along the main transport routes, and 

 the building of shelters for the animals. Restrictions have been imposed 

 on slaughtering, so that cows may not be killed under eight years and ewes 

 under five years and steps have been taken against epizootic maladies. Pre- 

 miums have been offered for cattle breeding, and faciHties have been 

 provided by the introduction of picked breeding stock into the country. 

 The formation of a Stud-book and Herd-book is also under consideration. 



An ostrich farm exists at Mequinez under the direction of the Veteri- 

 nary Inspector of the Region. 



Laboratory of Agricultural and Industrial Cliemistry. — This was 

 established at Casablanca in 1914 and is chiefly concerned with the sup- 

 pression of fraud and adulteration in food and agricultural products. 

 Even at the present stage of its development this Laboratory has made a 

 useful contribution to the work of the Experimental Stations and Gar- 

 dens, and this contribution will be still greater in the future. 



Hydraulics and Land Improvement. — This Board is in process of 

 formation and will deal with questions of drainage, the best use of water 

 for agricultural purposes etc. The draining of the Merdjas (marshes) 

 which cover a great part of Morocco will bring into use much land of first 

 class quality. 



Research and Education. — This branch was at first autonomous, but 

 was united to the Agricultural Board at the time of the transformation 

 into the Department of Agriculture, Commerce and Colonisation. This 

 union was essential because in Morocco (as also in Algeria, Tunis, and 

 Indo-China), agricultural production plays such a great part in affairs 

 that a natural connection has arisen between agricultural and commer- 

 cial interests, calling for the centralisation of the administrative study of 

 the questions concerned. The Board has Regional Economic Bureaux 

 which collect facts bearing on commerce and industry and study the 

 causes which influence development. These bureaux possess commercial 

 museums exhibiting the chief types of products, both imported and ex- 

 ported. ^ 



Colonisation. — This work has been somewhat hindered b}- circum- 

 stances, but the scheme embraces the following types of colonisation : 

 a) The demands of the towns for fruit and vegetables are con- 

 tinually increasing, and this provides a very favourable opportunity for 

 the establishment of market gardens on the best soils as near as possible 

 to the outskirts of the towns. Allocations of land for this purpose have 

 already been made at Kenitra, Fez, Rabat-Sale, and Casablanca, and 

 others are being considered. * 



h) As soon as new lines of railway's are projected areas of land not 

 exceeding 50 acres in extent will be let out in the inmiediate neighbour- 

 hood of the lines. 



