FOREST CONDITIONS 57 



land is to sell it under a contract which provides that after 

 8 years' residence and bona fide improvement a part of the 

 purchase price will be refunded. 



Forest Statistics. The area 17 of the federal forests, in mili- 

 tary or civil territory, managed by the Forest Service, amounted 

 in 1911 to 1,955,419 hectares (4,831,840 acres) which territory 

 was divided into three conservations: Algiers, 465,002 (1,149,019 

 acres); Oran, 610,599 (1,508,790 acres); Constantine, 879,818 

 (2,174,030 acres). These yielded in 1910 a gross revenue of 

 3,835,513 francs ($740,252), more than 3 million ($579,000) 

 of which came from cork-oak operations. In addition material 

 worth 1,131,227 francs ($218,326.80) was given away during 

 the year. 



In 1910, the fuel sold totaled 155,088 steres (5,476,787 cu. ft.); 

 logs, 3267 cu.m. (115,370 cu. ft.); ties, 30,292 cu.m. (1,069,731 

 cu. ft); poles, 93,773 cu.m. (3,311,499 cu. ft); tan bark, 31,141 

 quintaux (6,865,407 pounds), all together worth 638,909 francs 

 ($123,309.44). This comparison illustrates the preponderance of 

 the cork-oak returns over those from wood. In 1883, the total 

 revenue from the combined sources was just under a half million 

 francs ($96,500); 10 years later, in 1893, it was almost three- 

 fourths of a million ($144,750) ; while in 1903 it reached 3,334,853 

 ($643,626.65). By 1913 it was estimated to certainly reach 

 four million francs ($772,000). 



Production. Though the revenue from Algerian forests is 

 derived from a number of species, cork oak yields 18 the major 

 part of this total; and even then the present production is 

 only about half of what it should be. Cedar is sold to some 

 extent, but it is just within the past few years that the wood 

 has been in demand. The aleppo pine had not yielded a rev- 

 enue until the recent experimental tapping, originated by Con- 

 servator Laporte at Oran, and described hereafter. The zeen 

 oak has been cut to a considerable extent for cross ties, and the 

 demand has constantly increased. The market for minor prod- 



17 The latest published statistics are for the year ending June 30, 1911, Sta- 

 tistique Generate de 1'Algerie, pp. 296-300. 



18 Commission d'Etudes Forestieres, pp. 171-173- 



