48 NOTES ON EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE. 



after grazing before the land is watered again, and tlie new crop then 

 makes rapid growth. The forage is very succulent, containing as 

 much as 85 or 86 per cent of water in the earlier grazings, and a little 

 care luxs to be exercised in feeding it to animals in the eai'ly morning 

 during the winter when dew is on it to prevent "tympanitis." Ani- 

 mals in Egypt are never in as good condition as when fed on berseem, 

 and during this period no other food is allowed them, though the pres- 

 sure of work is very severe at cotton planting. From the moment of 

 planting, the crop requires no labor except that involved in watering. 

 No manure of any kind is ever applied. 



The root system of berseem is not an extensive one, but it is most 

 abundantly suiJi3lied with nodules. In the latter connection and as 

 exemplifying its renovating effect on the soil it may be interesting to 

 quote the results of analj^ses made last year by Doctor Mackenzie, 

 director of the School of Agriculture. Berseem was sown in October 

 on two adjacent areas, A and B. On B the crop was allowed to 

 remain for two grazings and then plowed up in March in preparation 

 for a cotton crop, while on area A the crop was allowed to remain 

 for its full period of growth until June, and four crops w^ere taken. 

 Previous to the experiment the nitrogen content of each area was 

 determined and also after each crop was grazed. The results were 

 as follows: 



Nitrogon before sowing 



Nitrogon after first crop 



Nitrogen after second crop 

 Nitrogen after tlaird crop. _ . 

 Nitrogen after fourth, crop . 



Area A. 



Per cent. 

 0.099 

 .110 

 .113 

 .10.5 

 .099 



Area B. 



Per cent. 



0.101 



.116 



.111 



On area B, after removing two crops, each containing lOU pounds 

 of nitrogen,^ the soil was enriched to the extent of practically 300 

 pounds of nitrogen, or, in other words, the ])ercentage of nitrogen 

 was increased from 0.101 to 0.110 per cent. 



When, however, as on area A, the crop is allowed to run the whole 

 course of its existence there is no increase in the total soil nitrogen 

 or it is so minute as to show no difference in the percentage of soil 

 nitrogen present. During the latter stages of growth, therefore, it 

 is clear that the nitrogen contained in the nodules must be drawn 

 upon by the i^lant for its growth. By comjiaring the amount of nitro- 

 gen added to the soil hy the growing of two cuttings of berseem, viz, 

 300 pounds, with that accepted as the increase in Europe by the 

 growth of an ordinary clover crop, viz, 60 or 70 pounds, it is seen how 

 valuable this forage crop is in this respect. 



The role jilayed b)^ berseem in the reclamation of salt land in Egypt 

 is worthy of mention. The fact as to whether a stand of this crop 

 can be obtained or not is regarded as an indication of the ability of 



