British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 273

CHAPTER VIII.

growing cereals the area which will provide a living for an Arab family varies from 100 to 150 dunums. No other figures were put forward from the Arab side, but Dr. Ruppin informed us that "the average area of a Jewish colonist in the old wheat growing colonies in lower Galilee is 250 dunums, in the Zionist settlement in the plain of Esdraelon with dairy farming it is 100 dunums, and in the coastal plain, where orange growing is the principal occupation, it is from ten to twenty dunums.

From the figures given by the experts who were appointed by the Joint Survey Commission and who visited Palestine in 1928, it would seem that the average Jewish holding of land in the Zionist colonies is to-day 130 dunums. These gentlemen found that few of the Jewish colonists were able to make a satisfactory living on their present holding. The experts were of opinion that in many districts the area of the average holding should be increased and we gather from their reports that, in their view, the area required varies from 160 dunums per family in good soil suitable for dairy farming to 320 dunums in the less productive of the cereal growing districts''.

(b) "Key for the Settlement of Various Zones in Palestine".

Ameliorated colonies on non-irrigated heavy soil, 200 to 250 dunums; improved farm of fixed system on a has is of dairying, 130 dunums; farm in process of improvement for reception of settlers, 140 to 150 dunums; heavy soil farm, entirely irrigated to support 8 cows, 25 dunums; farm in dry grain section with 10 dunums irrigated and four cows, 80 dunums.

(c) General Federation of Jewish Labour in respect of the grant of land for the settlement of Jewish ex-servicemen, 200 dunums for each settler. Mr. Ben Zvi, for the Federation, pointed out that the P.I.C.A. allowed 250 dunums for each family and that 200 dunums was the minimum that would suffice and this has is was accepted.

(d) Memorandum on "Land and Agricultural Development" by the Jewish Agency. The lot viable in the Emek, 100 to 150 dunums. Where water is available, the area can be reduced at the ratio of one dunum of irrigated soil to four or five dunums of dry soil. In the maritime plain irrigated areas suitable for oranges can be settled on the has is of one family to 15 dunums; if only partly suitable for oranges, one family to 22 dunums. In the Huleh area, 25 dunums of irrigated heavy soil or 22 dunums of irrigated soil. On the Beisan and Samakh lands an area of 86 dunums of unirrigated and 14 dunums of irrigated land is recommended.

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