REVIEWS 989 



to thuya is lessened because this species sprouts vigorously, as does 

 the holm and kermes oaks. The loss to cedar is small because it 

 grows at the higher altitudes and is only found in scattered stands. 

 While the undergrowth is of little value commercially, Marc advocates 

 its protection for general conservation reasons — soil cover and pro- 

 tection against erosion. In this dry region with dense undergrowth 

 the effect of fires has been to increase the fire risk and to decrease the 

 returns to such an extent that without efficient fire protection the 

 future of the forests of Algeria will be in danger. 



Only 60 per cent of the fires commence within the forest and the 

 causes are classed as follows : 



Accidental 8 per cent 



Carelessness 32 per cent 



Intentional 2.3 per cent 



Cause unknown 37 per cent 



Total 100 per cent 



So long as Algeria is peopled by Arab tribes forest fires will prob- 

 ably continue, owing to the ignorance, carelessness, and jealousy of the 

 native population. The only way to really stamp out fires in the 

 valuable cork-oak stands would be to clear out the undergrowth — 

 impracticable because of the expense. Even the plan of hiring the 

 natives for fire duty (instead of requiring assistance without pay) 

 will probably fail. At present natives whose grazing grounds are 

 burned may be excluded for six years, a measure of doubtful value 

 because of the hatred this exclusion has engendered — leading to the 

 further setting of fires by those whose livelihood is threatened. 



From 190G to 1914 there were 462,000 hectares open to 318,000 

 sheep, 1.1 per hectare (1 sheep to 2.7 acres). During the same period 

 287,000 cattle, camels, and burros grazed on 1.163 hectares, about 10 

 acres to each animal. 



Land classification is along narrower lines than in the United States, 

 and every effort is made to prevent small interior holdings. The 

 Woodland zone is largely retained as forest land not only because it is 

 considered necessary for soil protection, but also because it will be 

 come forest land of the future and on account of the great difficulties 

 /of forest extension in a dry country. A public commission held in 

 1904 "that the conservation of existing forest, including the zvoodland, 

 is for Algeria ... a question of public safety," since the colony 

 is only 13 per cent forested. It is for this reason that the State passes 

 on all requests to clear forest land. Yet during 1905-1915 clearing 



