140 TOBACCO. 



and Yao, between the Koouma and Zambesi. Consul 

 O'Neill says that "were the natives instructed in some 

 simple method of drying and pressing the leaf, the valu- 

 able product would be probably brought down by them 

 in considerable quantities, affording, as it would do, a 

 larger margin for profit than does the culture of oil seeds, 

 and it might become a regular article of colonial manu- 

 facture and export." 



Tobacco-growing is a very important industry in 

 Algeria. The culture and manufacture are quite free, 

 but the French Government buys all the best produce, for 

 manufacture and sale by the State factory in Paris. The 

 cultivation continues to increase, and is highly remunera- 

 tive where the land is capable of irrigation. In 1876-7, 

 the 1889 Europeans engaged in it cultivated 2471 hectares 

 (of 2J acres), and produced 2,782,500 Mo. (of 2-2 lb.); 

 the 8021 natives cultivated 4154 hectares, which yielded 

 1,889,124 Mo. The year 1877-8 was less favourable, and 

 the area decreased by 425 hectares. Still worse results 

 were expected in 1878-9, owing to scarcity of water. The 

 kind most grown is called chebli. The produce per hectare 

 of fine and chebli is estimated at 6-8 quintals ; the other 

 kinds give 10-12. The exports in 1877 and 1878 respec- 

 tively were as follows: Manufactured, 121,090 kilo,, 

 and 124,117 Mo. ; unmanufactured, 3,445,441 kilo, and 

 1,509,266 Mo. In 1879, 1087 Europeans planted 3180 

 hectares, and gathered 1,226,181 Mo.; 11,079 natives 

 planted 6584 hectares, and produced 1,384,802 kilo. ; the 

 exports were 2,481,218 kilo, unmanufactured, and 146,345 

 kilo, manufactured. 



The figures for 1883 were : 1240 European planters 



