213 EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

 MANURES. 



WITH the possible exception of the quantity of water 

 available for irrigation purposes, probably no question 

 receives more attention at the hands of agriculturists than 

 that of manures and manuring. 



Though Egyptian soils are undoubtedly, generally 

 speaking, in a high state of fertility, yet the ideas which 

 were at one time prevalent as to their inexhaustibility 

 have, under the modified system of agriculture now in 

 practice, been dispelled. In fact even the casual observer 

 cannot fail to be struck with the importance which even 

 the small cultivator attaches to his manure supply. It is 

 only second in importance to his supply of water. It is 

 in one respect of greater moment to him, for whereas 

 the Government has, by the vast improvements which 

 have been made in the irrigation system of the country, 

 shown itself alive to his needs from this point of view, 

 yet the manure supply has been a diminishing rather 

 than an increasing one. 



A brief glance at present day conditions, in comparison 

 with those existing in the early part of the last century, 

 will suffice to show that altered circumstances have of 

 necessity brought the question into greater prominence. 

 As long as Lower Egypt was under a system of basin 

 irrigation, and receiving consequently the life-giving 

 deposit of the Nile annually, the soil received as it were 

 sufficient manure to enable successful crops, under a 

 suitable rotation, to be raised. 



