J6 EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE. 



It may at once be mentioned that no extensive and 

 systematic series of analyses have been made to determine 

 its exact composition. Constituting as it does the soil of 

 Egypt we should expect it to be, broadly speaking, of the 

 general nature of Egyptian soils, though naturally, as the 

 result of cropping, the latter must have undergone certain 

 changes. Analyses of soils, however, especially those of 

 Upper Egypt, should give results which are consistent to 

 M high degree with those of Nile mud. The nature of the 

 suspended matter in Nile water depends to a certain extent 

 on the flood. In a year of high Nile, the matter in 

 suspension, though great, is relatively speaking poorer 

 than in a year of low Nile, the velocity of the water 

 enabling sandy material to be carried along which would 

 not be possible with a smaller volume of water of less 

 velocity. .During a medium year therefore, when the 

 water is laden with more finely divided silt, the material 

 is relatively speaking rich, while in years of extremely 

 high flood it is poor. This, however, is in the latter case 

 more than compensated for by the greater amount de- 

 posited. Analyses which have been made show great 

 variations, chiefly, we think, owing to the time and man- 

 ner in which samples have been taken. During its 50 (>0 

 days' sojourn in the basins, the water deposits the greater 

 part of its mud. It may be assumed that upon entering, 

 the red water contains from 150 to 200 parts of solid 

 matter in suspension per 100,000, while the water of 

 discharge contains similarly about 40 parts. If we 

 take 170 parts per 100,000 as an average of the former, 

 wo have a total of .130 parts per 100,000 of \vatcractiially 



