AND OTHER FRENCH COLONIAL PRODUCTS IN PARIS. 23 



doubtedly, the Thuya (Thuja articidata), which is 'much sought atter by 

 Parisian cabinet-makers, on account of its splendid colour and veining. The 

 following woods are also deserving of notice : the Barbary fig (Cactus 

 Opuntia), curiously veined, but rather narrow ; the Cypress (Cupressus 

 pyramidalis), with a close fine grain ; the cedar wood (Pinas Cedrus), 

 possessing a very sweet odour, different from that of the Virginian, or of 

 the Lebanon cedar ; several sorts of Pistachio trees, the finest of which is 

 the Pistaclda terebinihus, the olive tree, the lemon tree, and others 

 too long to enumerate. 



A new source of prosperity for the colony is likely to arise from the 

 cultivation of the vine, which is now carried on to a great extent in 

 Algeria, covering a space of 4,674 hectares. A large gold medal has been 

 awarded to M. Dumas, of Medieh, for his wines ; a gold medal to M. 

 Eouire, of Mascara ; and silver and bronze medals to various other vine 

 growers in the provinces of Algiers, Constantine, and Oran. 



Olive oil seems likely to become one of the staple productions of Algeria. 

 There are already about 60,000 hectares planted with olive trees, which 

 there attain much larger dimensions than they do in France ; and the 

 value of the exports, which was above three millions of francs three 

 years ago, will soon reach a much higher sum. M. Garro, of Algiers, re- 

 ceived a gold medal for some very fine specimens. Algeria produces also 

 other vegetable oils, such as almond oil, ground nut oil, &c. 



The fruits exhibited comprise almonds, sweet and bitter, some of them 

 .very fine ; dates, figs, raisins, lemons, bananas, and caroubes, a sweet but 

 rather coarse leguminous fruit, which, is excellent food for cattle, and 

 which yields good alcohol by distillation. 



Tobacco, in a manufactured and unmanufactured state, is exhibited by 

 different colonists, the largest and finest collection being that of the 

 " Algiers Company of Tobacco Planters," to whom a large gold medal has 

 been deservedly awarded. This industry is quite recent in the colony, for 

 ten years ago Algeria did not produce any tobacco ; but the soil is so well 

 suited to its growth, that it now exports annually that commodity to 

 France to the amount of eight millions of francs. The French Govern- 

 ment, in order to encourage its cultivation, has engaged to take six 

 millions of kilos per annum, as soon as the country can produce it, and the 

 Agricultural Society of Algiers has prevailed on the planters to unite 

 together to provide the necessary expenses for the erection and manage- 

 ment of the establishments required for preparing tobacco, on a large scale, 

 for exportation ; so that there is every prospect of Algeria becoming, in a 

 short time, one of the principal places of production for that article. 

 Algeria produces, also, a great variety of materials for dyeing and tanning, 

 ■ — among the former the more remarkable are cochineal, indigo, madder 

 (Rubia tinctorum), safflower (CartMmus tinctorum), gall nuts, and some very 

 fine specimens of henna (Lawsonia inermis), an excellent tinctorial plant indi- 

 genous to the African soil. Of the latter the most curious is the bulb of 

 the Scilla maritima a plant growing wild in great profusion, which has 



