32 



NOTES ON EGYPTIAN AGEICULTURE. 



be applied in Egypt with advantage, even though barnyard manure is 

 employed, or when following a crop of clover, except on the very best 

 land. The extent of land which is not benefited is very limited, even 

 in Egjqjt. It may be that, theoretically speaking, sufficient total 

 nitrogen is found in either of the two (i. e., barnyard manure and 

 clover), but they push the plant a little too late in the season and do 

 not enable it to grow so rapidly in the younger stages as is the case 

 under the influence of a more quickly acting source of nitrogen. 



The use of soluble nitrogenous manures must not be carried beyond 

 a certain point or tliere is a great tendency to late maturity. The 

 influence of x^hosphoric acid in hastening maturity is most marked, 

 and when employed in sufficient quantities in conjunction with sol- 

 uble nitrogenous manure it checks any tendency of the latter to pro- 

 long growth. The use of phosphoric acid without soluble nitrogen 

 gives an earlier crop, but a diminished yield in comparison with that 

 obtained by a combination of the two. Again, soluble nitrogen with- 

 out phosphoric acid gives also a diminished yield and a late crop. 

 A mixture of the two gives an increased yield and intermediate condi- 

 tions as regards ripening. This will be made clear from the following 

 table, obtained in an experiment where these manures were employed, 

 the figures referring to pounds of seed cotton per acre on poor land: 



Effect of a mixture of phosphoric acid and soluble nitrogen on cotton in Egypt. 



Manuring. 



Phosphoric acid only 



Soluble nitrogen only 



Phosphoric acid, together with soluble nitrogen 



First 

 picking. 



Pounds. 

 835 

 138 

 4a5 



Second 

 picking. 



Pounds. 

 420 

 455 

 9a5 



Third 

 picking. 



Pounds. 

 400 

 900 

 870 



Total. 



Pounds. 

 1,655 

 1,493 

 2,240 



There can be no doubt that organic manures must form the founda- 

 tion of the Egyptian system of manuring, but it is rare, unfortu- 

 nately, that a sufficient supply can be obtained by the farmer, and 

 this is more especially the case in view of the tendency to put an 

 increased area under cotton. In Egypt there is no substitute for 

 barnyard manure in any quantity to fall back upon, though poudrette 

 and similar substances give excellent results when so employed. 



As regards quality, samples of soil from experimental areas have 

 been repeatedly submitted to experts, and when a suitable mixture of 

 chemical fertilizers has been employed there has always been an 

 improvement in comparison with the employment of large quantities 

 of barnyard manure only. 



SUMMARY. 



Summarizing, the following statements may be made: 



(1) The cotton crop is almost invariably manured and responds 

 freely to the application of manures. 



(2) Barnyard manure or some manure of a similar nature should 

 form the basis of manuring in Egypt. 



