CULTIVATION 25 



which is difficult to work, but is fertile and well 

 adapted to cotton cultivation. In those districts 

 which yield the best cotton, the soil consists of a 

 mixture of clay and sand, which is always accom- 

 panied by a large proportion of vegetable matter, 

 largely due to the growing of Egyptian clover or 

 " berseem " for fodder. The soils of other localities 

 vary from a sandy loam to almost pure sand. 



In order to prepare the land for sowing, it is 

 ploughed thoroughly and deeply three or fuur times 

 aircKs afterwards thrown into rough ridges from about 

 32 to 40 inches apart. The land is watered a day or 

 two before sowing, and the seed is sown after having 

 been in water for 24-36 hours. Sometimes, however, 

 the seed is sown dry on dry soil, which is watered 

 directly afterwards. Since the cultivation of cotton 

 is carried on in Egypt by means of irrigation, the 

 plantations must be laid out in such a manner as to 

 facilitate watering. The land is divided into sections 

 by a second series of ridges running at right angles 

 to the ordinary ridges, so that the latter are usually 

 not more than 36 feet long. 



The cotton is generally sown between the middle 

 of February and the middle of April, the actual date 

 varying according to the locality. Small holes are 

 made two-thirds up the ridges and 10 to 18 inches 

 apart, and the seeds are planted at a depth of about 3 

 inches, from ten to twenty being placed in each hole 

 and immediately covered with earth. The plants 

 appear above the soil in from ten to twelve days, 

 according to the weather experienced. The planta- 

 tions are watered from time to time, from eight to 

 ten waterings being given before the first crops are 

 gathered. 



When the young plants have become well estab- 

 lished, the fields are hoed in order to destroy weeds 

 and to loosen the soil. Before the first watering, 

 which is given usually about thirty-five days after 

 sowing, the hoeing is sometimes repeated, and the 

 young plants are thinned out, only two typical ones 

 being allowed to remain. The second watering takes 

 place about twenty-five or thirty days after the first, 

 and when the land has become fairly dry, it is again 



