The greater part of the island is devoted to agriculture; according to the statistics of Igo', 151,853 indi viduals out of a total rural population of 708,034 (i.e., deducting the population of Cagliari and Sassari) were occupied in it. Of these 41,661 cultivated their own land, 15,408 were fixed tenants, 24,031 were regular labourers, and no less than 72,753 day labour ers; while there were 35,056 shepherds.
Much of the island is stony and unproductive; but cultivation has not been extended nearly as much as would be possible. Where rational cultivation has been introduced, it has been often by non-Sardinian capitalists. Two-fifths of the land belong to the state, and two-fifths more to the various communes; the remaining fifth is minutely subdivided among a large number of small proprietors. Comparatively little grain is now produced, whereas under the republic, Sardinia was one of the chief gran aries of Rome, and most of the soil, except the rugged mountain regions, is adapted to corn growing. The Campidano and other fertile spots, such as the so-called Ogliastra on the east side of the island, inland of Tortoli, the neighbourhood of Oliena, Bosa, etc., produce a considerable quantity of wine, the sweet, strong, white variety called Vernaccia, produced near Oristano, being especially noteworthy. The cultivation of olives is widespread in the dis tricts of Sassari, Bosa, Iglesias, Alghero and the Gallura. Tobacco, vegetables, and other garden produce are much cultivated.
The following list gives the acreage under cultivation and the various products (in tons) for 1927: Live Stock.—A considerable portion of Sardinia, especially in the higher regions, is devoted to pasture. The native Sardinian cattle are small, but make good draught oxen. A considerable amount of cheese is manufactured, but largely by Italian cap italists. Sheep's milk cheese (pecorino) is largely made, but sold as the Roman product. Horses are bred to some extent, while the native race of donkeys is remarkably small in size. Pigs, sheep, and goats are also kept in considerable numbers. In 1908 there were 56,626 horses, 32,871 donkeys, 158,511 mules, 377,706 cattle, 158,022 pigs, 1,876,741 sheep and 506,566 goats.
Of wild animals may be noted the moufflon (Ovis Ammon), the stag, and the wild boar, and among birds various species of the vulture and eagle in the mountains, and the pelican and flamingo (the latter coming in August in large flocks from Africa) in the lagoons.
The tunny fishery is considerable, and it is centred principally in the south-west. A special fishing harbour and market are to be built here. The sardine fishery at present serves mainly for local consumption. Lobsters are exported, especially to Paris. The coral fishery—mainly on the west coast—has lost its former importance. Neither the tunny nor the coral fishery is carried on by the Sardinians themselves, who are not sailors by nature ; the former is in the hands of Genoese and the latter of Neapolitans. The unhealthy lagoons contain abundance of fish. The mountain streams often contain small but good trout.
This is at present derived from two artificial lakes—that which collects the waters of the Tirso, in the centre of the island (capacity 450 million cubic metres, gener ating up to 25,00 h.p.) and that of Coghinas, in the north (capacity 342 million cu. metres, generating 24,000 horse power.
mining industry in Sardinia is confined in the main to the south-western portion of the island. The mines were known to the Carthaginians, as discoveries of lamps, coins, etc. (now in the museum at Cagliari), testify. The Roman workings too, to judge from similar finds, seem to have been considerable. The centre of the mining district (Metalla of the itineraries) was probably about 5 m. south of Fluminimaggiore, in a locality known as Antas, where are the remains of a Roman temple dedi cated to an emperor, probably Commodus. Af ter the fall of the Roman empire the workings remained abandoned until the days of the Pisan supremacy, and were again given up under the Spanish government, especially after the discovery of America. When the island passed to Savoy in 1720 the mines passed to the state; but in the period up to 1840 only 14,620 tons of galena were extracted and 2,772 of lead. In 1840 the freedom of mining was introduced, the state giving perpetual concessions in return for 3% of the gross production.