1582 KXPERIMENTAL AND ANATvYTlCAI, WORK 



the harvesting, storage and feeding value of forage crops ; the commoner 

 diseases of live stock and means of checking and preventing them ; systems 

 of management and breeding and the returns to be obtained from each. 

 The Institute itself will endeavour to keep a large head of all kinds of 

 breeding stock to be drawn upon by other parts of the colony as requir- 

 ed ; also demonstration flocks and herds to be run on economic lines. 

 Extensive trials will be carried out at one of the special farms mention- 

 ed below on the management of animals turned to pasture. 



A nursery has been established within two miles of Sidi el Mesri to 

 provide stock for the Institute and for distribution to sub-stations and 

 to native and Italian farmers. Olive trees (of the Tripoli, Tunisian and 

 wild varieties), Seville oranges, bitter almonds and various forest trees 

 are already being cultivated as well as certain fruit trees and bushes. 

 Plots are also prepared for raising special strains of lucerne and tobacco. 



The complete project of the Tripoli Institute includes the creation of 

 two demonstration farms. One of these, in the region of Tarhouna, 

 will specialise in the production of cereals and the grazing of live stock. 

 The other, which has already made a start, is situated at Sabrata (district 

 of Agilat) in the middle of a large area of good steppe soil, with a reason- 

 ably high water table. This area is crossed by the railway and enjoys 

 a good climate so that the conditions are eminently adapted to the 

 foundation of a big Italian farming colony. The type of farming propos- 

 ed is one consisting chiefly of irrigated plantations, though the proxi- 

 mity of the water to the surface makes it possible not to exclude irrigated 

 crops. Further, the settlement will afford a good opportunity of testing 

 a system of land tenure which is very suitable to North Africa and might 

 lead to the planting up of much land which is at present only producing 

 the poorest pasture and an occasional barley crop. By this system, 

 which is known as the " mougharsa ", the landlord leases the land to a 

 tenant for a number of years (usually ten) , and during that time the tenant 

 pays no rent, but is obliged to do a certain definite amount of planting, 

 to build a house and to dig a well. At the end of the given period, the whole 

 property is divided up equally between the landlord and the tenant. 

 At vSabrata, the obligations of the tenant will consist in the formation of 

 an olive grove, the planting of almonds and other fruit trees — all 

 unirrigated — and the making of a small irrigated garden and orchard 

 where the tenant can grow a large part of his own food. 



The establishment of a government experimental farm for irrigated 

 crops has had to be postponed owing to the present scarcity of labour, 

 but there are a number of Italians and natives already running their own 

 irrigated farms and these will serve to guide intending settlers who want 

 to learn something about possible returns from irrigated crops. 



