-2'M l-Ai .}'/' TJA N . I GRICULTVRE. 



to lead us to anticipate that Egyptian soils would not, 

 generally speaking, be deficient in these ingredients espe- 

 cially the latter. Actual experience confirms the result 

 of the foregoing analyses, it being accepted that the soils 

 of the Nile valley are more deficient it nitrogen than in 

 any other ingredient while in potash thev are generally 

 very rich. 



FARM-YARD MANURE. 



As regards natural manures employed in Egypt the 

 most important are farm -yard manure (sebach beladi), 

 coufri, pigeon manure, marog, tafla, the remains of old 

 houses, poudrette, refuse of slaughter-houses, etc., and the 

 bye-products of abattoirs such as bones, dried blood, etc. 

 The most important is undoubtedly farm-yard manure. 

 This, in Egypt, as in most other countries, forms the basis 

 of our system of manuring and it is only to be regretted 

 that the available supplies are not greater. 



The heaps which are seen around every village are evi- 

 dences of the importance which the fellah attaches to its 

 value, and it is recognised by every cultivator that whatever 

 system of manuring be adopted it is absolutely necessary 

 to periodically apply dressings of this fertiliser to maintain 

 fertility. It has stood the experience of centuries and 

 continues, and will continue, to be regarded as the backbone 

 of manuring. From its very nature, farm -yard manure 

 must contain all the elements of plant food, as the valuable 

 part of it is itself derived from vegetable substances con- 

 sumed as food by the animals producing it. The value 

 of farm -yard manure is very variable and depends on such 



