70 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



[June 1896. 



but at the end of 1895 it appeared to be in a more favourable 

 position than formerly. 



At this period 205,642 Europeans and 3,270,716 natives were 

 engaged in it, and the agricultural material in their possession 

 was valued at l,07l,700£., which was less by 15,1 50£. than 

 during the previous year. The amount of stock in their 

 possession is shown in the following table : — 









Comparison 

 with 1893. 



Nature of Stock. 



Belonging to — 



Total 

 Number on 

 Dec. 31, 

 1894. 



Europeans. 



Natives. 



Decrease. 



Horses - 

 Mules 



Asses - 

 Camels - 

 Cattle 



Sheep - 



40,740 

 25,756 

 12,471 

 103 

 131,768 

 333,926 

 71,218 

 83,685 



167,797 

 113,639 

 262,497 

 245,936 

 1. ,00 1,831 

 7,361,863 

 3,296,907 

 15 



208,537 

 139,395 

 274,968 

 246,039 

 1,133,599 

 7,695,789 

 3,368,125 

 83,700 



5,380 

 6,713 

 15,878 

 22,039 

 60,316 

 1,816,207 

 461,615 

 2,310 



Goats - 

 Pigs 



Total - 



699,667 



12,450,485 



13,150,152 



2,380,508 



This immense decrease in stock of every kind, European and 

 native, but especially the latter, is owing to want of pasture, the 

 result of two consecutive years of drought in portions of the 

 Tell, and the great mortality amongst the flocks and herds of 

 the pastoral Arabs in the High Plateaux. 



The Government has undertaken extensive experiments as to 

 the improvements which it is possible to introduce in the 

 cultivation of cereals ; but so far no conclusive result has been 

 arrived at. It will require the experience of several years 

 before much success in this respect can be expected. 



Sheep-farming is a most important branch of Algerian 

 agriculture, and the exportation of its products in 1894 

 exceeded 2,000,OOOZ. in value. 



The model sheep farm of Moudjebeur is to be abolished, and 

 the best merino rams there are to be sent to the various com- 

 munal establishments of a similar nature, which are to be 

 created in various parts of the colony. 



[Foreign Office Report, Annual Series, No. 1686. Price 5d.] 



Potato Experiments in France. 



In his last annual report to the Foreign Office, Mr. R S. 

 Warburton, Her Majesty's Consul at La Rochelle, has referred to 

 some careful experiments in potato-growing which were carried 

 out last summer under the direction of the V ice-President of the 



