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farm for testing Egyptian cotton growing. This Gaziera 

 country between the two Niies is an ancient flood plain or 

 delta formed by the two rivers at flood before the 

 Shabluka Gorge was cut down to the present level. 



The Sudan government is allowed to divert "flood 

 water" July 15 to February 15 onto this land. They have 

 a big steam plant now, but appropriations for a weir up 

 the Blue Nile that will give the head for the whole 

 region. A few years of experiment shows 500 to 800 pounds 

 lint cotton to the acre produced at very low labor cost. 

 The crop is planted after July 15 and as I saw it made a 

 fine showing over very large tracts. With a great de- 

 velopment, whether the same low priced labor conditions 

 will prevail is, of course, the vital question. With the 

 immense grazing areas in the back country, it looks as 

 though stock feeding and cotton producing rotations might 

 be developed that would keep up the quality of land and 

 make this, as Khartum people claim, a second Nile delta, 

 with cheap transit via Port Sudan and the Suez. If this 

 proves true this country will become an enormous factor in 

 the fine cotton problem of the world. 



The Dongola province is the great date-producing 

 region of Sudan, but they claim that all their important 

 varieties come from the Succote country, a rather small 

 section below Kerma, now in Haifa province for adminis- 

 tration; that is the source for offshoots for purchase as 

 the Dongola people will not sell but are increasing their 

 area as fast as they can. 



They have four important kinds: (1) Barakawa, a long, 

 slender, very hard, dry date which comprises nine- tenths 

 of all their trees. The fruit is said to keep two years 

 and is largely sold to the desert tribes. (2) The Gondala 

 is a smaller and softer date, yellow before ripening, 

 which dries well, but is rich and softer, and sometimes 

 sold in Cairo by special contract, a date well worth 

 planting. (3) The Kulma or Kosha, a large brown date, 

 soft and rich, reminding one of the Tafilelt, but with a 

 good deal of tough rag, the most rare variety. (4) The 

 Bentamouda, the prize of the lot, which will take place 

 with the Deglet Noor and ahead of Menakher. Only men of 

 consequence have a few trees of this variety and the fruit 

 is kept for special festivities and for distinguished 

 guests. These men do not sell their offshoots but they 

 are highly esteemed gifts, though a few can be bought in 

 Succote country, and a very reliable Shiek promises to get 

 me a supply in February. I did not try getting in there, 

 in fact, it is doubtful if they would have put me in, as 

 a Camel Corps is being sent out now to form near Dongola 

 to repel raiders from the back country armed with rifles 



