MINISTKY OF AGRICULTURE, EGYPT. 



Bulletin No. 9. 



(BOTANICAL SECTION.) 



WORK IN CONNECTION WITH EGYPTIAN MAIZE, 



BY G. C. DUDGEON, 

 Consulting-Agriculturist, etc. 



Although maize has only been established as a cultivated crop 

 in Egypt for about a century and a half, soon after the introduction 

 of the plant it became evident that the local conditions were particu- 

 larly favourable to it, especially in those areas where water was able 

 to be given at frequent intervals during the period of its growth. 

 The rapid establishment of maize as an important crop in the rotation 

 employed in Lower Egypt was coincident with the development of 

 the perennial canal irrigation system, which only became possible 

 by means of the erection of barrages on the Nile. In accordance 

 with the extension of the perennially irrigated areas, maize has 

 rapidly taken the place of millet (Sorghum mdgare), with which 

 only a few feddans are still planted in Sharqia in Lower Egypt, 

 and practically only the non-canalised areas of Upper Egypt 

 bear the crop. Originally short-period maizes emanating from 

 Syria and India only were employed ; these were of the " flint " 

 type, and were grown as summer as well as Ntti crops. American 

 maizes were introduced later, and proved to be much heavier croppers 

 than those which came from the East. These latter have now very 

 largely replaced the former. Although several kinds have been 

 tested, a white dent maize with from eight to twelve rows is the pre- 

 vailing type grown. In modern classification this would probably be 

 included in the same category as " Hickory King." The local name 

 applied to it is Neb el Gamal (Camel's tooth), under which market 

 quotations are always made ; the name Mabruna being that applied 

 to the flint maize of the older introduction. Until the present year, 

 maize has not been largely exported from Egypt, but a good external 



