252 



EG YP '11 AX AGRICULTURE. 



such as maize, yet, for cotton, old manure is invariably 

 preferred. 



As regards the general composition of Egyptian manure 

 heaps, treated in the ordinary manner and after exposure 

 for six or seven months, the following may be taken as 

 typical examples: 



It may be assumed, generally speaking, that the average 

 content of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash is 

 respectively '3, '2, and l'b%. On this basis a ton of man- 

 ure contains approximately 7 Ibs. of nitrogen, 4 \ Ibs. of 

 phosphoric acid and 33 Ibs. of potash ; while an application 

 of 10 tons, a good average dressing employed for cotton, 

 would add to the soil 70 Ibs. of nitrogen, 45 Ibs. of phos- 

 phoric acid, and 330 Ibs. of potash. 



It has already been pointed out that farm -yard manure 

 as employed in Egypt is poor in organic matter in 

 comparison with that in European countries where 

 vegetable matter of some nature is generally used as litter, 

 while again it is low in water content. The quantity of 

 moisture varies greatly according to the age of the manure 

 but in England it varies from 65^ in fresh to 80^ in 



