64 ALGERIA 



the material; the trees reserved should be left near openings; 

 the marking should be light within 20 to 30 metres (22 to 33 yards) 

 of fields and clearings; a zone of 200 metres (218 yards) in 

 width should be reserved from cutting along the southern bound- 

 ary of the forest. 

 The concluding instructions are: 



"At the same time these regeneration fellings are marked 

 the other felling areas will be cut over by improvement 

 fellings of two kinds. 



"i. In the young stands, these fellings will be simple thin- 

 nings with the aim of opening up the stand and assuring as 

 rapid a growth as possible. 



"2. In the older stands, where the boles may be tapped, it 

 will aim to choose the trees which will form the final stand, 

 and the trees to be cut will be tapped to death. 



"3. Finally, on the entire area of the working group not 

 cut over by regeneration fellings, tapping alive will be fol- 

 lowed on all trees i metre (i yard) or more in circumference 

 as explained later." 



A curious feature of aleppo pine seems to be that it exhausts 

 the freshness of the soil more than would be expected, and 

 lowers the surface water quite materially. It is a matter of 

 record that after clear cuttings at Rivoli the water level rose 

 and where extensive plantations were made the water level 

 sank. 26 



Treatment of Other Species. The zeen oak is cut clear, 

 with groups of seed trees, comprising perhaps 20 per cent of 

 the stand, left for seed. Where single trees are left they are 

 apt to become stagheaded. Probably in many cases the natu- 

 ral regeneration must be assisted by sowing or planting blanks. 

 The product of this species is chiefly ties. No formal rotation 

 has been established. 



/ The forests of cedar have suffered from excessive grazing and 

 from such abuses as lopping for fodder. Moreover, in the past, 

 there has been little or no demand for the wood. 27 Recently, 



26 This corresponds with the results of experiments conducted near Nancy, France. 



27 At the Bardo Museum at Tunis there is a cedar coffin which was found in a 

 cave at Ksour-es-saf, still well preserved, with one or two boards absolutely intact. 

 It is Phoenician and dates from about 300 B.C. 



