MANURES. 267 



The basin lands here are of poor quality, and as already 

 mentioned, the flooding has often to be su implemented by 

 artificial irrigation, and shadoofs fringe the river in 

 considerable numbers. On land which is not flooded, 

 the winter crop is preceded by sorghum, and is heavily 

 manured, in fact the system of cultivation adopted is 

 very intensive. 



In the neighbourhood of Assouan, and for about 40 

 or 50 kilometres to the north, basin irrigation is not 

 adopted on a large scale, and the manure in common 

 use is that known as coufri, which has already been dealt 

 with. 



As we go north, however, this is very largely replaced 

 by tafla, which is extensively used for millet, and for 

 the irrigated winter crops (barley and wheat) as well as 

 for sugar-cane. 



As therefore the summer crop is manured, and also 

 often the winter cereal crop, it follows that the agri- 

 culture of this tract is largely dependent on the manure 

 supply. 



Tafla, as already mentioned, does not occur to any great 

 extent north of Keneh, but south of this it is very 

 common. The supply of natural manure is very limited, 

 cattle are few in number, and berseem is not grown to 

 any extent. As soon as the winter crop is off the land, 

 the cultivators occupy themselves with the transport of 

 tafla from the neighbouring hills. From the nearest 

 hill the material is transported by the cultivator himself 

 by means of his own camels and donkeys, but from the 

 more distant spots the manure is carried to the river, 



