SOILS OF THE ARID AND HUMID REGIONS. 421 



and Babylonia will again become garden lands, as of old, 

 under the abundant waters of the Euphrates and Tigris. 

 Until the water-supplies of the arid countries shall have been 

 more definitely gauged, it is impossible to foretell to what ex- 

 tent food-production may be increased by their cultivation 

 under irrigation, after the relief from political misrule shall 

 have rendered such undertakings safe. But it can even now be 

 foreseen that with improved modern methods of cultivation, 

 the productive area of the world can be vastly increased by the 

 utilization of the countries where, as the Turcomans say, " the 

 salt is the life of the land." 



