. ITALY io 43 



The marriage rate has risen slightly of late years, having been about 7.7 per 1000 since 

 1905, with a sharp rise to 8.3 in 1908. The birth rate has varied from 31.4 to 33.4 during 

 the period, averaging about 32.4; the illegitimate births were 4.9 per cent for the whole king- 

 dom in 1909. The death rate has varied from 21.9 to 19.6 (1910) with the exception of 

 1908, when the earthquake in Calabria added 77,283 deaths to the total and brought the 

 rate up to 22.6. The total number of emigrants in 1910 was 651,475 (including 242,381 to 

 other parts of Europe, 10,209 to Canada, 262,554 to U.S.A., 19,33110 Brazil, 104,718 to 

 Argentina). The total number of Italians living outside Italy is calculated to be 5,562,730. 



Public Health has improved materially of late years. The deaths from malaria and 

 pellagra have decreased respectively from 4,871 and 2,024 in 190610 3,533 and 1,420 in 1909. 

 On the other hand, tuberculous illnesses show a slight increase (56^10 to 57,382). In 1910 

 and 1911 there were outbreaks of cholera, the majority of cases occurring at the seaport 

 towns and in the south. The latter was the more severe, and there were 15,603 cases, 

 resulting in 5,960 deaths. There was no recurrence in 1912* The precautionary measures 

 in some of the more remote villages caused rioting among the ignorant classes. 



The physical condition of the nation seems to- have improved considerably in the last 

 few years, and the generations now growing into manhood show an encouraging progress 

 from the conditions emphasized by Nathan in 1906. The physique and morale of the troops 

 sent to Tripoli were excellent, and the change from ten or twelve years ago is quite marked. 

 This is no doubt mainly due to the years of prosperity which Italy has been enjoying. Sport 

 and games (especially lawn tennis) are spreading to some extent, bicycling is largely indulged 

 in (though little by women in Rome and the south), and football and rowing are becoming 

 popular, while winter sports are beginning to find favour, and are even carried on in the 

 Abruzzi. There are, too, a few golf courses (Rome, Florence, Palermo, Varese, etc.) 



Agriculture. The production of grain and maize, allowing for the temporary decreases 

 caused by bad harvests shows little variation (in 1912 the south of Italy and the islands 

 suffered from drought, but the total decline on the average of the last three years was only 

 350,000 tons); but the wine and oil crops oscillate much more violently. The vintage of 

 1909 reached nearly 62 million hectolitres, while that of 1910 fell to under 30 million, and 

 that of 1911 was about 42 million. The area under the vine has increased to over n million 

 acres (4,477,200 hectares). The production of olive oil was only 632,000 hectolitres in 1908, 

 2.559. 2O i n I 99. 1.384,580 in 1910, and about 1,930,000 in 1911. 



The estimated production of agrumi (oranges, lemons, etc.) for 1911 was about 635,000 

 tons, and of chestnuts a little more, the former figure being considerably below the average 

 of the previous two years. A compulsory association among the exporters of citrate of lime 

 from Sicily was founded in 1908 to regulate prices, but its working has not altogether given 

 satisfaction. The production of silk cocoons has also diminished considerably, being 43,300 

 tons for 1910 and 38,600 for 1911, according to government figures; those of the Silk Associa- 

 tion are somewhat higher. The 1912 crop was 15 per cent above that of 1911, but 8 per 

 cent below the average of the preceding five years. The hemp and flax crops were both low 

 in 1911 (67,350 and 2,757 tons). The production of sugar-beet was 1,440,000 tons. 



The total value of the whole agricultural production of Italy in 1910, including forests, 

 was estimated at nearly 28 million sterling. In the district of the Emilia cooperative pro- 

 duction is much in vogue. 



An International Institute of Agriculture, founded on the initiative of the King of Italy 

 on the suggestion of Mr. David Lubin, was inaugurated in Rome in May 1908, for the 

 collection and publication of statistics and information. Forty-two countries are repre- 

 sented, and the staff is international. 



Reafforestation. The indiscriminate devastation of her forests in the igth century has 

 done great harm to Italy, and a vigorous campaign in favour of reafforestation is being 

 made by the "Touring Club Italiano." It is pointed out that, apart from the actual loss 

 of rainfall and of woodland, there is the difficulty of regulating the torrents which descend 

 from the bare hills, and bring with them stones and soil, to the ruin of the fertile land beneath. 

 The hills themselves too become denuded and even disintegrated, and whole villages may 

 be destroyed. There is also the loss of water supply. Harm has sometimes been done by 

 the attempt to introduce cultivation upon steep slopes, where trees were necessary to hold 

 the soil together. See II Bosco, il Pascolo, il Monte (Milan, 1911), // Bosco Conto il Torrente 

 (Milan 1912). Many of the largest subscribers to the propaganda are the electric power 

 companies, who fully understand the importance of well regulated water supplies. In 1910 

 about 6,000 acres were reafforested, about half of the area being "in Basilicata. 



Mining. The number of mines decreased from 1580 in 1902 to 1044 in 1910, with an 

 output valued at 3,210,000. The tonnage of iron has increased very largely, haying been 

 551,000 in 1910; but the output of copper has decreased (to 68,000 tons). Zinc increased, 

 but lead diminished: this industry, .however, is now in a flourishing condition in Sardinia. 

 The output of antimony has decreased considerably, but that of mercury is nearly doubled 

 (from 44,000 to 87,000 tons). Among the minerals of which the output has recently grown 

 are iron pyrites (165,000 tons in 1910), anthracite and lignite (562,000), salt (500,000), 

 asphaltic and bituminous rock (162,000), and graphite (12,500). Sulphur ore has decreased 

 from 3,580,000 in 1902 to 2,815,000 tons in 1910. A compulsory coalition of all the sulphur 



