S5 







To a very much less degree, in the way of summer grain cereals, maize, 

 sorghum, and durrah are grown, generally over small areas situated within the 

 immediate neighborhood of wells, from which irrigation supplies are drawn. 

 Occasionally when winter cereals have failed, or are likely to prove below 

 the immediate requirements of the native and his family, summer cereals 

 are risked where no means of irrigation are available ; and, thunderstorms 

 helping, at times they succeed. 



The table below will convey some idea of the importance of the various 

 cereals to Tunisia within recent years. 



Mean Production of Cereals in Tunisia, 1907-09. 



Cereals. Average Area. y> A ! cra ? e Average Yield 



Production. per Acre. 



Acres. Hush. Bush. Lbs. 



Wheat 1,068,328 .. 5,536,667 .. 5 11 



Barley 1,152,360 .. 7,496,135 .. 6 25 



Oats 112,500 .. 2,927,831 .. 6 



Maize and sorghum . 48,333 . . 200,215 . , 4 6 



The figui es in the table above refer to the averages of three seasons ; 

 and from our point of view, with the exception of oats, the yields shown 

 are certainly exceptionally low. It should be stated, however, that of the 

 three seasons under consideration, one of them 1908 was characterised 

 by extreme drought, which caused the bulk of the crops in the drier districts 

 to fail almost completely. I notice that in the season that followed the 

 Government was compelled to adopt special relief measures for those who 

 were left practically without means of support. They distributed among 

 native landowners 69,000 worth of seed wheat and barley, and started 

 various forms of relief work for those who were without means of earning 

 a livelihood. Amongst other measures adopted for the purpose, a special 

 new coin was issued of a face value of one centime, i.e., 0-095 of a penny, 

 or about a third of a farthing. This, it was thought, would enable destitute 

 natives to make the infinitesimal purchases that would keep body and soul 

 together. 



Nor in considering these yields should it be forgotten that they represent 

 the aggregate results of both Arab and European farming. The farming 

 practices of the Arabs could not be more primitive representing no advance 

 on those of the ancient Romans. French landowners, on the other hand, 

 have for the last 30 years been endeavoring to adapt improved modern 

 European methods to the special climatic conditions of Northern Africa. 

 In this connection the various problems that have confronted them are very 

 much the same as those we have had to face in South Australia. It does 

 not appear to me, however, that they have been quite as successful in solving 

 them as we have. 



