'102 Russegger's JRemarks on the Climate of Egypt, 



all tlie accompaniments of pedantry. Whoever has witnessed 

 one or several rainy periods of the interior of the tropical re- 

 gions of Africa, can very well understand their influence on 

 the rising of the river. In Lower Egypt, the rise of the Nile 

 is first observed in the month of June, and in the month of 

 September the river reaches its highest level. At that time 

 its broad bed is entirely full, and the neighbouring banks are 

 here and there covered with water. The country, however, has 

 by no means the aspect of a large lake, for the water is every- 

 where restrained by dykes, and extends only in canals, so that the 

 communication for foot passengers and horsemen between vil- 

 lages and towns is rarely cut off. At the end of September, the 

 river begins to fall, and in October and November the cultiva- 

 tion is commenced of the portions of ground' which had been 

 irrigated by water admitted from the canals. The fruitful- 

 ness of the soil, caused by this flooding and artificial irrigation, 

 is not only comparable to that of the most fortunate countries 

 of the globe, but even surpasses the greater number of them. 

 It is, however, confined to that portion which the river itself 

 has created, and over which it yearly distributes the blessings 

 of its floods ; all the rest of the country is a desert. In the 

 months of October and November, when the water of the Nile 

 has retired and deposited its mud, the first sowing of grain 

 takes place, and the crops are reaped so early as February and 

 March. In April grain crops are sown for the second time, 

 and the harvest arrives before the succeeding rise of the river. 

 In the intervening period the harvest occurs of the December 

 and January grains of other fields. After the inundation the 

 sowing of cotton takes place. After three years, although the 

 plant lives and is productive for a longer period, the cotton 

 seed is renewed, and it is always the practice to have perfectly 

 fresh and strong plants. The irrigation of the cotton is en- 

 tirely artificial, for the plants must not be exposed to the in- 

 undation. This irrigation takes place in winter at intervals 

 of from 12 to 14 days, and in summer at intervals of 8 days. 

 The plant is productive the first year, and the harvest occurs 

 in the month of July, from which time till winter it is con- 

 tinued. The produce of a healthy plant amounts to two 

 , pounds yearly. At the time of the first sowing of grain in 



