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I 'ariation in the Price and Supply of Wlieat. 
I. Beylicl-, tlic muloubtcd property of the State at the time of the 
conquest. 
II. Azd, belonging also to the State, but let to natives from a more or less 
remote period. 
III. Melk, or freehold, possessed by private persons with regular titles. 
IV. Arch or Sahcga, land not subdivided into small holdings, and over 
which the natives have a claim, not very well defined and frequently 
contestible. 
To the last category belongs " La Safia," which three years ago was a mag- 
nificent forest of cork oak, interspersed with rich valleys more or less cleared 
for cultivation. 
A concession of this forest was originally given to a French gentleman for 
a period of forty years, subsequently extended to ninety years. In terms of 
this he was to enjoy the right of stripping the cork trees over the whole 
extent; and of cultivation and pasturage over about 225 acres of cleared land, 
From the latter portion the Arab occupants were ejected, much against their 
inclination, though not, I presume, without some sort of compensation. Sub- 
sequently, the right of pasturage over the whole forest was assumed by the 
concessionnah'e, the claims of the Arabs were ignored, and tluy were only 
permitted to i)asture their flocks within the forest on payment of rent to the 
conci'ssionnaire. 
Such w-as the state of things when, in 18G5, this concession was purchased 
by the London and Lisbon Cork Wood Company for the sum of 12,000?. 
What I have described as having taken place at La Safia was going on all 
around ; everywhere the original concessiwinaircs were parting with the land 
which had been freely given to them as an inducement to colonisation. Their 
successors were arrogating rights to which they had no legal claim, and a 
feeling of jealousy and distrust was engendered amongst the native population, 
which found an expression sometimes in open rebellion, but more frequently 
in acts of wanton destruction. 
This last was the case in the district around La Safia. Three months after 
the Englisli Company had taken possession, the forests were set on fire in 
twentj' different i)laces, and for two days the flames raged with incredible 
fury. Sevcntj^ miles length of cork forests were burnt ; jiroperty to the amount 
of 3,000,000/. was destroyed ; and in the forest of La Safia alone, 600,000 
noble oaks, four-fifths of the total quantity, were consumed. 
The attempt to create a trade between Algeria and England in cork, which 
promised great success, has therefore proved a failure ; but the result may 
eventually prove advantageous to the colony, and to the company as well. 
The Government will probably grant the forest to the company as Mdk, or 
freehold property, reserving one-tenth as compensation to the Arabs for any 
rights they may have possessed in it. The rest will be let or sold by the 
company to colonists, English if possible, and thus it is hoped a small agricul- 
tural colony of English settlers may be formed. One English gentleman has 
already purchased the 225 acres of cleared land. I S])cnt two days at his farm, 
and was favourably impressed with the richness of the soil and the excellence 
of the pasture. lie speaks in the most confident manjier of his prospects of 
success, and thinks that any competent person coming to this colony with 
from 2000/. to 4000?. of capital could, by stock-farming alone, double it in 
three years. 
He has not yet had time to judge of the result of breeding cattle, but lie 
states that he usually purchases lean beasts at the Arab markets for C5 francs 
each, and that after four months he finds a ready sale for them at 80 francs. 
Unmanured land yields 30 and manured land 50 quintals of hay per 
hectare. This is now selling at eight francs per quintal, though in ordinary 
