THE FORESTATION PROBLEM 77 



or flood. A Strict check is kept on the use of the timber for a 

 year following the felling. Each right holder is required to do 

 one day's work, consisting of the maintenance of the forest cut 

 over, in return for each cubic metre (35 cu. ft.), or for each 

 100 poles of at least 20 cm. (8 inches) in circumference. 



THE FORESTATION PROBLEM 



Forestation. — In Algeria, as in- other countries where vege- 

 tation must withstand annual and periodic droughts, the saying: 

 *'It is much better to protect the forests that exist than create 

 anew," is doubly true. Yet, just because past generations have 

 not heeded the wisdom contained in this law, it has become 

 imperative for the state, now, to undertake planting on a gen- 

 erous scale. It is true that for the last 30 years Algerian for- 

 esters have studied the reforestation problem; yet the forests 

 have continued to decrease, for one reason because there has 

 been insufficient money for extensive planting or sowing. Even 

 under the present more Hberal policies, planting or sowing is 

 only undertaken where trees have entirely disappeared, or where 

 there is not the sHghtest chance for natural regeneration. 



Notwithstanding the progress already made, there still seems 

 to be considerable variation in planting methods used in the 

 different regions. Nominally there is a chief of management 

 and reforestation, but under the present organization this officer 

 acts in an advisory capacity and is not in a position to enforce 

 his views as to methods, except on projects which are under 

 his direction — a fact which is unfortunate for the success of 

 planting operations as a whole. 



With the wet winters and severe dry summers of Algeria it 

 is universally the poHcy to plant in the winter after the rains 

 have commenced, usually in December and January. The kind 

 of material used depends on the species to be planted but no- 

 where are costly 3 and 4 year-old transplants employed as in 

 Germany or Austria. In the case of the coniferous species, 

 as well as the broadleaved species, sowing is preferred to plant- 

 ing, but nowhere is successful sowing possible without thorough 



