COTTON IN EGYPT AtiD THE SUDAN. 75 



where* the average yield has latterly been constantly rising, a remark- 

 able decrease in the yield of the Egyptian cotton fields has taken 

 place; at the same time, we can notice a distinct falling off in the 

 average quality, although increased prices have balanced the loss in 

 quantity, yet this falling off became so dangerous for the entire 

 economics of Egypt that close studies as to the causes became 

 necessary. 



In 1908 the Khedivial Agricultural Society appointed a commis- 

 sion, consisting of notable landed proprietors and Government 

 officials, for the purpose of examining the cause of the retrogression 

 in the yield. Their work was connected with many difficulties, as 

 the statistical figures, especially of the small plantations, left much 

 to be desired. The result of these investigations, published in May, 

 1908, stated as reasons for the falling off : - 



(1) Deterioration of the soil by the adoption of a two years' 

 rotation of crops instead of a three years' rotation. 



(2) Insufficient watering during the summer. 



(3) Insufficient drainage in certain districts. 



(4) Insufficient selection of seed. 



(5) Insufficient manuring. 



(6) Increase of insect pests. 



In the year 1908 the Government instituted a special service in 

 the Survey Department in order to obtain detailed information as to 

 the areas put under cotton, and, further, to collect regularly statisti- 

 cal information as to the influence of the level of the subsoil water 

 on the growth of the plants. 



After the sad results of the cotton crop in 1909-10, the Govern- 

 ment, as well as the Khedivial Agricultural Society, appointed, in 

 1910, other commissions for the purpose of examining the reason 

 for the retrogression in the yield of cotton, and in 1910 these 

 published their report. 



Without having come to quite positive results, the following 

 reasons have been stated in explanation of the decrease in quality 

 and quantity : 



(1) Deterioration of the Seed. This takes place in all kinds of 

 -cotton, as experience has shown, after a number of years, in Egypt 

 on the average in about 22 years./ For this reason the Afifi kind, 

 which has up to recently been generally cultivated, is being replaced 

 by new kinds. Serious measures ought to be taken with regard to 

 the inferior " Hindi " quality. Even so-called good quality of seed 

 contains in the old-established kinds of Mitafifi and Abassi up to 

 8 and 10 per cent, of Hindi seed ; in the newer kinds, as for instance 

 Nubari, only 4 per cent. But as the fellah buys his seed not only 

 according to cheapness, but also from doubtful sources, one may 

 easily imagine how much worse such seed must be than the so-called 

 good seed. It is said that Hindi amounts to an average of 6 per 

 cent, of the entire crop. 



(2) General exhaustion of the soil, which is specially noticeable 

 in Lower Egypt. 



(3) The extension of the cotton-growing area in the less fruit- 

 ful Upper Egypt, and to poorer soils in Lower Egypt, which, of 



