412 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
tells us do not, and cannot, exist in the islands’ 
strata, that the prosperity of the people is to he 
secured. The islands possess much natural wealth, 
and abundant resources ; but they do not lie in 
this direction. 
It is for the purpose of indicating what some of 
these resources are, and pointing out how they 
may best be utilized so that they may be produc- 
tive of the greatest amount of good to the greatest 
number that this paper has been written. 
But the subject is a broad one, and of too im- 
portant a character to allow of exhaustive treat- 
ment in the limited space at my disposal. 
I shall therefore confine my attention to but one 
phase of it; and I feel assured that if this phase 
receives proper and adequate attention that the 
results that will accrue will go a long way towards 
alleviating a no inconsiderable amount of the 
poverty which at present exists among the Mal- 
tese labouring classes, and as it will inevitably 
lead to the establishment of a new and a lucrative 
industry it will be the means of providing suste- 
nance for a large number of those wdio are now, 
or who are about to be, thrown on the islands’ 
already over-stocked labour market. 
According to the returns which were published 
in the last Census report ( 1892 ) the total areage 
of the Maltese Islands is 270 , 399 ! tummoli, ( 75,111 
acres). Of these 157,316 tummoli are utilized by 
the islanders for the raising of cereals, and legu- 
minous and other crops; while 113 , 083 ! tummoli, 
or about 42 per cent of the islands’ total areage 
may be roughly considered as being uncultivated 
or uncultivable . 
In view of the general depression of trade 
throughout the islands, and of the constant com- 
plaints of the labouring classes owing to the over- 
crowded state of the labour market, — that nearly 
one half of the total areage of the group should 
be absolutely waste ground seemed prima facie 
so extraordinary a statement as to merit some 
examination of the facts upon which it was based. 
With the courteous assistance of Professor N. 
Tagliaferro this examination w'as made and the 
result has shown that, as far as the Census returns 
are concerned, the figures are perfectly correct. 
The qualifying phrases which have been added 
are, however, less unequivocal and reliable. 
Uncultivated, the area certainly is: uncidtivable 
it most assuredly is not. 
To be able to properly appreciate this question, 
some knowledge of the surface geology of the 
islands is essential. A few general remaiks on 
the subject may not, therefore, be deemed out of 
place at this juncture. 
The waste lands in Malta and Gozo are inva- 
riably found to predominate in those areas where 
the Lower Coralline Limestone, and the I pper 
Coralline Limestone crop out at the surface. 
The Low-er Coralline Limestone districts are 
few in number and limited in extent, the principal 
being the tracts around Casals Asciak and Chir- 
cop; along the shores of Marsa Scala, Bicasoli, 
St. Julians, the Dragonara, Pembroke and the 
Salines; and in the interior of the islands, in the 
vicinity of St. Salvatore, Zebbug, and Musta. 
Being situated near populous centres many of 
these have been partially cultivated ; but as a 
rule the crops are thin and dwmrfed, and barely 
pay for the labour. Allusion has already been 
made to these facts in various articles which have 
appeared in the columns of this journal, and it has 
been pointed out how these soils might be profi- 
tably improved at a minimum of cost. There is, 
therefore, no need to enter into a further discus- 
sion of this part of the question now: so I will 
pass on to the consideration of the other unculti- 
vated tracts. 
Nine-tenths of the uncultivated grounds of 
Malta are to be found in the Upper Coralline 
Limestone districts. 
The Upper Coralline Limestone is a rock of a 
veiy variable nature. In some parts it readily dis- 
| integrates, and forms a rich red soil : while other 
| portions are so exces-sively compact, as to effec- 
j tually resist all ordinary denudational agencies. 
Everywhere this formation is covered with a 
hard crust which, by protecting the rock beneath 
. it, prevents the formation of soil by natural agen- 
cies, and the area in wdiich it crops out is there- 
fore characterized by a rugged, barren, sterility. 
The Upper Coralline Limestone is found in the 
Southern and Western parts of the island, cap- 
ping the plateaux; and it usually so situated, 
owing to dips and faults that for a considerable 
portion of the year the conditions are such as to 
