Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/935

 AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY 883

ments of cavalry (Chasseurs d'Afrique), of several squadrons; 3 groups of artillery ; 1 battalion of engineers ; and 1 regiment of the Flying Corps. These were all European troops, and in the case of the artillery and engineers their recruiting depots were in France. The Foreign Legion of 2 regiments of a varying number of battalions is recruited from foreigners of any nationality, but officered chiefly by Frenchmen ; the headquarters of the regiments is in Algiers, but battalions are sent to any colony where they may be required. The Natives were 9 regiments of Algerian Tirailleurs each of 3 battalions, and 5 regiments of Spahis (Arab cavalry) each of several squadrons. The officers and a proportion of the non-commissioned officeis of the native regiments are French. Some of the troops ordinarily belonging to Algeria are in Morocco, and these are not counted above.

Agriculture and Industry.

There exists in Algeria a small area of highly fertile plains and valleys in the neighbourhood of the coast, mainly owned by Europeans, which is cultivated scientifically, and where profitable returns are obtained from vineyards, cereals, &c. f but the greater part of Algeria is of limited value for agricultural purposes. The not them portion is mountainous and generally better adapted to grazing and forestry than agriculture, and a large portion of the native population is quite poor. In spite of the many excellent roads built by the Government, a considerable area of the mountainous region is without adequate means of communication and is very inaccessible.

The soil is, under various systems, held by proprietors, by farmers, and by Metayers or Khamines. Most of the State lands have been appropriated to colonists. The chief cereal crops are wheat (243,000 tons ill 1920), barley (207,397 tons in 1920), oats (73,422 tons in 1920), maize, potatoes, artichokes, beans, peas and tomatoes. Flax, silk, and tobacco (the cultivation of which is niost remunerative) are also cultivated.

In 1920 the yield of wine was 157,136,452 gallons. The orange, date, mandarine, citron, banana, pomegranate, almond, fig, and many other fruits grow abundantly. The production of olive oil is an important industry. Cotton in 1920 was sown on 445 acres. Forests cover 6,560,232 acres, and, for the most part, belong to the State and communes. The greater part is mere brushwood, but on 645,000 acres are cork-oak trees, from which, in 1918, 611 tons of cork were obtained. The dwarf-palm and alfa are worked on the plains. Timber is cut for firewood, also for industrial purposes, for railway sleepers, telegraph poles, km*, and lor bark for tanning. Considerable portions of the forest area are also leased for tillage, or for pasturage for cattle, sheep, or pigs. The forest revenue annually amounts to over 240,000/.

In 1919 there were in Algeria 202,839 horses, 184,895 mules, 247,808 asses, 1,092,996 cattle, 9,139,722 sheep, 3,793,998 goats, and 108,213 pigs.

There are extensive fisheries for sardines, allaches, anchovies, sprats, tunny-fish, &c, and also shell-nsh. In 1919, 4,262 persons, and 1,116 boats of 3,813 metric tons were emploveu in fishing, and the fish taken were valued at 10,685,120 francs.

Algeria possesses iron, zinc, lead, mercury, copper, antimony, and petrol. In 1919 the total mineral output amounted to 1,019,824 "m«tric tons (1,041,817 tons in 1918) The output in 1919 was as follows : iron ore, 721,584 tons ; zinc and lead ore, 22,116 Itons; phosphate rock, 276,040 tons ; antimony, 120 tons.

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