MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, EGYPT. 



Bulletin No. 7. 



(BOTANICAL SECTION.) 



WORK IN CONNECTION WITH EGYPTIAN WHEAT, 



BY G. C. DtTDGEOX, 

 Consulting- Agriculturist, etc. 



Although plant-breeding experiments have been conducted in 

 the Botanical Section of the Ministry of Agriculture from the time 

 of its initiation as a Department, more attention was necessarily de- 

 manded in connection with cotton than with any other plant. Cereals 

 with the exception of rice, had never formed an important exported 

 product, and the cultivators and consumers in the country were for 

 the most part content to continue employing the varieties which had 

 served them for a generation or more without significant deterioration 

 with respect to the local requirements. It is true that on two occasions 

 at least during the last two decades, attempts were made to introduce 

 new wheat seed from India, owing to the fact that the seed found in 

 the country had become hopelessly mixed. These introductions 

 perhaps served to re-establish the Hindi strain, but did nothing to 

 assist the Baladi or country wheat. In 1914, owing to the fact that the 

 flood of the previous year had been a low one and a large area in Upper 

 Egypt was left uncultivated, the Government, anticipating a shortage 

 of seed for the next season, introduced a considerable quantity of 

 Muzaffarnagar wheat, which was distributed on credit to the culti- 

 vators. On the whole this wheat did well, but it was found in some 

 parts of the Delta to be severely attacked by rust. The winter of 

 1914 unfortunately proved a particularly bad one for this disease, 

 and although all varieties were attacked, Hindi and the newly intro- 

 duced Muzaffarnagar seemed particularly susceptible, and suffered 

 more than others. In Upper Egypt, where different climatic conditions 

 prevailed, the new wheat gave most satisfactory results, and was much 

 appreciated by some of the best cultivators who employed it. 



