FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 281 
parallel to the coast, but join towards the eastern limit of the 
territory, enclosing between them the region, about 54,000 square 
miles in extent, known as the ‘high plateau,” the mean elevation 
of which ranges from about 2300 to 3300 feet. This tableland is 
rendered remarkable by the presence of numerous lakes, called 
Chottes, most of them salt, formed by the torrents which descend 
from the ridges on both sides, and are in flood during the rainy 
season. The range of hills which bounds the plateau to the north, 
falls away in broken spurs, which are separated by numerous 
valleys, to the sea, forming the fertile and hilly cultivated Tell, 
about 70,000 square miles in extent, which is the only part of 
Algeria where colonies have been established. Here the vine is 
largely cultivated, and excellent crops of cereals are raised. The 
southern slopes of the inner range descend into the Sahara, form- 
ing a region about 38,000 square miles in extent, under the sands 
of which, the water courses formed in the hills disappear. The 
desert is marked by dunes similar to those of Gascony, but is 
interspersed with oases which follow the course of the underground 
streams. 
The climate near the coast is much the same as that of Provence, 
but somewhat hotter. As, however, the ground rises towards the 
erest of the first range, the temperature becomes cooler, and near 
the summit the air is moist, while at some seasons clouds lie on 
the hills and snow falls. The north and north-west winds bring 
rain, chiefly in the autumn and winter, the annual rainfall in the 
Tell being about 16 inches. The plateau receives less rain, and 
the distribution of it is very unfavourable, while in the desert 
beyond, the fall does not amount to more than 4 inches a year. 
The plateau is subject to very sudden changes of temperature, the 
south winds being burning hot, while those from the north are 
fresh and even cold; there are sometimes night frosts, even in 
summer, the daily range of temperature being occasionally as 
much as 70° Fahrenheit. 
The forests were formerly much more extensive than they are 
at present. Abuse of all kinds, following on the first advance of 
civilisation, has led to the destruction of the greater part of them, 
those which remain being found on the upper slopes of the monn- 
tain chains, chiefly on the inner ranges, where the absence of 
roads and other means of export has hitherto rendered them 
almost inaccessible to wood merchants ; while their distance from 
the cultivated part of the country has protected them from some, 
