32 COTTON IN EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 



undertakes experiments in plant and cattle breeding, studies the 

 destructive insects, organises every two years a well-attended agricul- 

 tural exhibition in the compound of the Society at Gesireh-Cairo, and 

 takes in many ways a real interest in Egyptian agriculture. In 1904 

 the Society was reorganised, and at the same time a closer relation 

 with the Government was created, the Government raising their 

 yearly subscription from ^"3,000 to ;E6,000. At the same time 

 the reduction of the member's fee from ^E5 to E1 caused a large 

 increase in the membership, which was 243 in 1904, 3,131 in 1905, 

 and eventually about 5,000. Meanwhile, it is true, the number of 

 members has shrunk to 1,000, and the yearly Government subsidy to 

 ;E5,000, but the Society makes a profit on the sale of artificial 

 manures. From the beginning the Society had made arrangements 

 for the supply and distribution of a good quality of seed and artificial 

 manure at a cheap price ; the Government gave for this purpose 

 considerable advances to the Society, for which it was charged only 

 2 per cent, per annum. 



After the establishment of the Government Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, which took over the greater part of the scientific staff of the 

 Khedivial Agricultural Society, the latter engaged a number of 

 tjerman experts in agriculture, botany, chemistry, and entomology, 

 and besides the central offices at Gesireh, where the exhibition 

 grounds and an entomological laboratory are situated, the Society 

 established an experimental farm at Bahtim, near Shubra, the 

 latter comprising 130 feddans ; here the breeding of plants and cattle 

 are being investigated. The dwelling-houses and offices of the staff 

 are also situated there. The experimental farm was started only in 

 1912, and promises to give good results. 



The Society publishes the " Journal of the Khedivial Agricultural 

 Society," since 1905, an interesting " Yearbook," which has, how- 

 ever, only appeared in the years 1905, 1906, and 1909. 



Besides the Khedivial Agricultural Society, the following organi- 

 sations deserve to be mentioned : 



The Union Syndicale des Agriculteurs d'Egypte, founded in 

 1902, with the object of promoting agriculture in all kinds of ways, 

 particularly by giving practical advice and statistical information ; 

 it has also organised a co-operative system for the supply of seed. 

 The Association has a somewhat similar programme as the older 

 Society, but it is quite independent from the Government. It 

 publishes monthly the " Bulletin de 1' Union Syndicale des Agri- 

 culteurs d' Egypte. " 



Another Society for the study of agriculture in Egypt is the 

 Cairo Scientific Society at Giseh, established in 1906, whose members 

 are chiefly Englishmen engaged in the Egyptian Government offices. 

 The meetings are held every 14 days, and an account of these is 

 published in the " Cairo Scientific Journal," which supplies very 

 valuable information. 



The Government Domains, which are spread over the whole of 

 the country, try to teach the Egyptian farmers the proper ways by 

 setting them an example in the management of their own concern, 

 and also by promoting movements for the public welfare. The 

 Domain has a large plantation of 14,000 feddans at Sakha, where 

 agricultural experiments are carried on, on a large scale, and up to 



