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objects to superfluous efforts which lead to the amassing of capital. The 

 cereals are sufficient unto his daily bread ; hence, his olive trees are neglected 

 as unnecessary luxuries. In the dry south, on the other hand, the olive tree 

 is the main source of the agricultural wealth of the country, and is respected 

 accordingly. 



In the north, crops of wheat and barley are frequently grown between the 

 rows of olive trees. Indeed, at times the only form of tillage ever given to 

 the olive grove is represented by what is essential to the growing of these 

 cereal crops- The trees are butchered rather than pruned, and always present 

 an unkempt, neglected appearance. Many of the trees are of great age, 

 the main trunk being no more than a thin layer of bark clinging to masses of 

 dead wood. Manures are never availed of, and at harvest time the fruit, 

 instead of being carefully picked off, is systematically threshed off with heavy 

 wands, much to the ultimate disadvantage of the trees. This slovenly, neglect- 

 ful treatment of the northern growers appears to have been a subject of 

 anxiety to the Moorish Government as far back as the eighteenth century ; 

 and from the point of view of Government, not without sufficient cause. 

 These olive groves were subject to direct taxation in proportion to the yields 

 secured, and small insignificant yields meant a serious shortage of revenue to 

 the Government. The remedies adopted by the Moorish Government would 

 be considered drastic, even at the present time. The olive groves, although 

 private property, were put under the supervision of a sort of native forest 

 department, whoso apparent duty it was to compel owners to bestow proper 

 care upon their trees. Needless to say that very little pood ever came of the 

 supervision of these Eastern officials- The French Government, however, 

 who within recent times have inherited amongst other things these special 

 duties, have done all in their power to brng about a more rational treatment 

 of those valuable trees. And they have been so far successful that new 

 ground has been broken, and, after centuries of stagnation and retrogression, 

 the area under olives shows once again a tendency to expand. In the dry 

 southern districts the groves are well cared for and efficiently tilled, whilst 

 it is only occasionally that intercalary crops are to be found growing between 

 them. Native growers are well aware of the scantiness of their normal rain 

 supplies, and every effort is made towards turning to practical advantage 

 every drop of rain that falls. As I have already shown to be the case in Greece, 

 the oliv? groves are divided up into a series of basins, separated one from 

 the other by elevated mounds or ridges, and connected by means of surface 

 drains with the roadways and available catchment areas of the neighborhood. 

 Hence, every drop of rain that falls is naturally directed towards the olive 

 groves. The trees of the natives are very well pruned, and it is stated that 

 in careful hands olive trees begin to become profitable towards their sixth and 

 seventh years. Two facts appear to have attracted French landowners 

 to this district : (1) The important profits to be derived from olive trees ; and 



