The climate of Albania is generally very healthy both in the uplands and the lowlands, except in the valleys and plains close to, and on the seacoast, where the presence of marshes and swamps is a frequent cause of malaria. A system of drainage may, however, remedy this evil, and considerable work has lately been done in that direction.

Winters are short, but at times unusually cold in comparison with the moderate climate of the country. The seacoast, however, is rarely visited by snow, and at Valona one may spend the wintertime without any appreciable coal bills. Some of the summits of the mountains are, however, snow-covered during the greater part of the year. Tomori keeps its snow-mantle the year round.

The summer temperature in the plains is that of southern Italy; in the mountains it is rather cool and changeable.

Albania is traversed in all directions by a system of splendid rivers. The most important of these are: The Bojana, the Drin, Black and White, the Shkumbi, the Semani or Devol, the silvery-white Viosa, and the Southern Drin. The course of the Semani or Devol is majestic, with its many falls and cataracts, which sacrilegious science is intending to use for waterpower. The most picturesque is, however, the noble Viosa, and its tributary, the Shushitsa, the bed of which is made up of brilliantly shining white pebbles.

These river courses, rich in beautiful scenery, may provide the easiest and cheapest means of communication, if they be properly regulated and deepened, as they can be at a comparatively small expense.

The great lakes of Scutari and Ochrida are among

the most beautiful in Europe, and furnish excellent fish. The waters of the lake of Ochrida are of marvelous limpidity; they are drained into the Adriatic Sea by the river Devol.

The configuration of the Albanian coast is deeply indented and presents many inlets, bays, and creeks. The principal seaports on this coast are four: San Giovanni di Medua (so named by the Venetians), Durazzo, Valona, and Santi Quaranta or, more plainly, Saranda. With the exception of Valona, they are not particularly good, but are capable of improvement.

Durazzo might be made the best harbor on the Adriatic, if the marshy isthmus which connects the small peninsula of Durazzo with the mainland were opened, as it could be at a moderate expense.

Up to the present time, Albania has been a derelict country and its immense natural resources have remained totally undeveloped. This is also true with regard to her general economic conditions, as we shall presently see.

Everything remains to be done. No great effort or expenditure will be required and success is assured.

REFERENCES

AUBRY, E., Albanian Sea-coast, Asiatic Review, Vol. 5, July, 1914. BARBARICH, EUG., Albania, Rome, 1905, pp. 3-116.

HAHN, DR. JOHANN GEORG VON, Albanische Studien, pp. 3–39.

CHAPTER XV

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

I. AGRICULTURE

ALBANIA is, primarily, an agricultural country. But her isolation from the outside world under the long Turkish rule, her unsettled conditions, arising from the constant strain of war, the notorious indifference of the Turkish government in such matters, and, most of all, the complete lack of means of communication, are responsible for the backward and primitive state of agriculture in Albania.

Yet the soil of Albania is very good and fertile. It is estimated that, with a proper cultivation of only the plains of Kavaja and Muzakia, the agricultural products will not only supply the actual population of Albania but will also furnish a surplus for exportation. According to Dr. Steinmetz, the agricultural development of Albania is highly promising, her natural resources having predestined the country to the first place along the entire coast of the Adriatic. Inasmuch as the greater part of the plain of Muzakia is public property, it may easily become a magnificent model farm, with a proper system of drainage and irrigation which is rendered easy by the presence of the rivers traversing it.

The climatic conditions and the quality of the soil are favorable for raising any kinds of crops, while the dryness of the summers may be remedied by irrigation.

The basis of land ownership is the freehold, and the class of independent yeomen is very numerous. Most of the land belongs, however, to the great landowners, Beys and Pashas, who have received it as fiefs from the Sultan, especially for meritorious services rendered in war and peace. The land is leased by them to the peasantry, in the form of perpetual leases. The right of eviction has become obsolete, but the exactions of the landowners have proved disastrous to any agricultural development. Usually, the lessee is required to turn over to the landlord one-third of the produce; the result is that the peasant does not care to grow more crops, when he knows that his landlord will become richer and greedier thereby.

When Southern Albania was occupied by the Greek troops, during the war of 1912, the Greek authorities purposely allowed the tenants to expropriate their landlords, in order to render more difficult the restitution of that region to Albania.

We have already stated that the first act of the insurgents of Central Albania, who rose against the Government of the Prince of Wied, was to distribute among themselves the estates of the landowners, the most important of which are the extensive lands of Essad Pasha.

The solution of this land question is a matter which will confront the future government of Albania. Yet, the undeniable truth is that the condition of the agricultural laborers of Albania is more favorable than that of the peasantry of Bulgaria and Roumania.

Owing to the primitive agricultural implements and to other circumstances as well, vast tracts of

arable land are lying fallow. Their improvement and reclamation would become a source of wealth to the population and of revenue to the public treasury.

A great obstacle to the development of agriculture is the absence of credit facilities.

The Turkish Farmer's Bank (Banque Agricole), which had a few branches in the cities of Albania, was the only bank that gave agricultural credit. But its bad management and questionable dealings had discredited it in the eyes of the people, and in the last days of the Turkish domination was steadily losing ground. The Provisional Government of Valona tried to revive it by reforming it, but its previous reputation militated against the success of the measures of reform.

II. CROPS AND STOCK RAISING

As has already been said, the character of the soil is favorable for the raising of a great variety of

crops.

Many kinds of fruit are grown in great quantities, and their quality is renowned.

The apples and peaches of Kavaja and Sh. Jak are famous in Southeastern Europe, and the apples of Ochrida even more famous. But the lack of means of transportation has prevented their cultivation in very considerable quantities; they are often allowed to rot, because there are no ways of shipping them to the markets.

Two other important products are olives and tobacco.

There are plentiful forests of olive trees at Valona and Elbasan, but the lack of scientific management