ZOOGEOGRAPHY.
Of the vegetable products grown for food by far the most important is rice, the staple food of the inhabitants; next in importance came manioc or cassava, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, ground-nuts and yams. Ginger, pepper and indigo grow wild in the woods; cotton, sugarcane, coffee, tobacco and hemp are cultivated. Humped cattle are found in immense herds, and form a large part of the wealth of the inhabitants; they appear to have been introduced from Africa at a re mote period, as the fat-tailed sheep, goats, swine and horses have been more recently. Under French administration agriculture and cattle raising are undergoing considerable extension_ A considerable part has been played in the settle ment of the island by colonists from France_ Cattle-breeding is especially important: there were 6,606,336 in 1916 on the island, exclusive of wild herds. In 1915 there were 2,290,046 acres under cultivation by natives, and 1,868,354 by Europeans.
Commerce and Rice, cattle, hides, gum, india-rubber, wax, cotton, sugar, vanilla, lard, coffee, gold, gum-copal and dye woods are exported. The chief imports are cotton goods, wines and spirits, metals, rice and flour. The imports in 1915 were valued at f1,750,694, the chief items for that year being cottons, #531,629; beverages, f134,807; and cloth 148,639. The exports for that year were valued at #.2,642,644; the chief values being hides, f515,739; gold dust, f242,368; and rice, f148,196. In 1915, 4,050 vessels entered, totaling 1,706,293 tons, of which 2,971 were French (1,617,479 tons), and 666 (66,426 tons) British_ In general the Malagasy show much aptitude for the manual arts. As silversmiths, gun smiths and 'carpenters, they rapidly acquire the skill of Europeans; and with hand looms of the rudest construction, the only ones as yet in use, they make excellent and handsome cloths. The principal article of native dress with both sexes is the lambs, a piece of cloth about three yards long and two broad, which is folded round the body above the arms, one end being thrown over the shoulder.
The island is being rapidly opened up by the building of highways and carriage roads. A railroad has been completed between Tamatave, the chief port and capital, and Antananarivo the ancient capital (229 miles long) and branch lines are under construction. Automobile serv ices have been established on the 1,000 miles of tolerable road.
to 1895 the govern ment was a native absolute monarchy. A French resident, however, with a military es cort, resided at the court and controlled foreign relations, so that the country was virtually a French protectorate. Much friction prevailed in 1893-94, between the government and the French authorities, and finally France decided to make her protectorate of the island effective. An expedition easily overcome the resistance of the Hova troops, and after some changes in the formation of the administration the island was made a French colony, and General Gallieni was appointed first governor-general (1896 '905). His vigorous and determined policy made a great improvement in the condition of the country. The governor is assisted by an administrative council, and natives are largely employed in the civil and military administra tion. Forced labor was abolished in the public service in 1901. Education is free and corn pulsory, and instruction in French is obligatory, In the primary schools in 1916 there were 105,- 108 pupils. Instruction is also given in higher schools in practical agriculture, industries and medicine. Numerous Catholic and Protestant missions and mission schools have long been established: in 1895 it was estimated that there were 450,000 Protestants and 50,000 Catholics in Madagascar. The army of occupation is composed of 2,411 French soldiers and 6,376 natives. The religion of the great bulk of the people is a kind of fetishism or worship of charms. A Court of Appeal and tribunals throughout the provinces provide for native justice, while there are special courts for the administration of French justice. The local revenue is derived chiefly from direct taxation, from customs and other indirect taxes, from colonial lands, posts and telegraphs, markets, etc., and from subventions granted by France. The local budget for 1916 balanced at 11,284,928, and there is a standing debt of i4,200,000, Population.—According to the census of 1911 the population amounted to 3,153,511, of whom were natives, 9,694 European, 1,000 Asiatic and African ; 1916 estimate, 3,512, 690 (14,390 French, and 2,710 foreigners). The Hovas, the chief native tribe, numbered 847,480; the Betsileo, 408,024, the Betsimasaraka, 288,159.