64 COTTON IN EGYPT AND THE SUDAN. 



cotton plant, to loosen also the deeper-lying earth layers of the soil to 

 about 30 cm. depth, with a subsoil plough ; but care should be taken 

 that nothing is brought to the surface, as the deeper layers are much 

 less weathered or loose, and are therefore less suitable for the growth 

 of the plant than the earth nearer to the surface. Deep ploughing 

 is practised only where one can at the same time manure thoroughly. 

 The main point, however, is that the breaking-up and mixing-up of 

 the upper layers to a depth of about 15 cm. is well done. The tap 

 roots of the Egyptian cotton plant are over two metres long, its 

 side roots reach from 10 cm. to 50 cm. below the surface. 



After the field has been prepared in this manner the ridges, 

 little dams and water channels, necessary for irrigation purposes, 

 are made with the plough. 



The ridges, which are about 4 m. to 23 m. long, are made by 

 hand, or the " Battana " (a primitive wooden frame), or the modern 

 plough ; they run parallel, at regular distances of from 60 cm. to 

 100 cm. from east to west, and are about m. high ; on the usual 

 double " Kassaba " (land measure of 3'55 m. by 7' 10 m.) are, 

 according to plough line and distance, 5 to 6, or 8 to 10 ridges. 

 When these are made it is necessary still to throw up the small dams, 

 which keep the water within these small plots. 



Now the sowing may begin ; a cold or a damp spring may easily 

 defer the sowing for three or four weeks. 



Sowing. Usually the 20th March is the proper sowing time, 

 but in the south sowing begins- already in the second half of Febru- 

 ary. It is true the early seed runs the risk of getting injured by the 

 cold nights, but on the other hand an early crop, therefore less 

 endangered by wet and cold in autumn is guaranteed. Thus sowing 

 extends from the middle of February to the middle of April. There 

 are two different methods of sowing, the wet and the dry method. 



In the wet method, or which is called the " Demensaui," the 

 water is allowed to run in the furrows before sowing until they are 

 filled to about two-thirds. In eight or ten days the land is again 

 dry, but a line has been left behind on the side of the ridges showing 

 up to what height the water had risen. Along this line on the ridges 

 the seeds are planted always on the south side of the ridge, which 

 runs from east to west ; this is done in order to protect the young 

 plants from the cold north winds, and in order to give them the full 

 advantage of the sun. The first watering after the sowing follows 

 mostly between the 25th and 35th day. With a second wet method, 

 called the " Meskaui," the watering is not given before but immedi- 

 ately after the sowing. 



In the " dry " or " Baali " method, which is the one most 

 extensively used, the fields are not watered before the sowing. W 7 ith 

 this method it is more difficult to plant all the seed at the same level, 

 which is necessary on account of the subsequent waterings. In this 

 method the seeds are only lightly watered in the process of planting. 

 The sowing is carried out by children. At a height of two-thirds 

 of the ridge holes 5 cm. to 1\ cm. deep are made by means of a 

 dibber, at a distance of 25 cm. to 50 cm., mostly 40 cm. to 50 cm. 

 In each hole are placed between 7 and 15, even up to 20, seeds, which 

 are then covered by hand with loose earth. The large number of 

 seeds in each hole is apparently a great waste of seed, but this is 



