24 2 COTTON 



from it, and the Juba river, forming the boundary 

 between Italian Somaliland and British East Africa. 



The Juba viver, which is supposed to have a discharge 

 of about 6oc cubic metres per second during high-water 

 period, has >a principal flood in October-November. In 

 this season it is possible to obtain water directly for irriga- 

 tion purposes in some places, or to pump it at a small 

 height of lift. From the end of April until October it 

 is necessary to get water by pumping it. 



The Uebi-Scebeli river has two periods of flood, the 

 first one from the last days of April until June, and 

 another from the beginning of September until December. 

 For about five months in the year it is possible to get 

 irrigation water directly. The Uebi-Scebeli during flood 

 has a discharge of about 60 cubic metres per second, 

 which is reduced to about one-half during July and 

 August. 



From December to April the discharge of both rivers 

 falls until it becomes of no importance. 



The dry season is very advantageous for cotton culti- 

 vation. It affords good conditions to the full ripening 

 of bolls, without danger of the fibre being injured by 

 rains, interrupts the propagation of the parasites, allows 

 a very long picking period, leaving time for the eradica- 

 tion and burning of plants infested with insect pests and 

 their eggs and for a good preparation of soil under the 

 best conditions. 



The deep, flat, alluvial soils of the country most of 

 which are of a clayey nature are very good, and 

 compare favourably with the best Egyptian soil. The 

 average percentage of the essential plant foods are as 

 follows : 



Nitrogen ... ... ... o'io 



Potash ... ... 0-801-50 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... 0*10 



Organic matter ... ... ... 1000 



Italian Somaliland and Jubaland are almost new coun- 

 tries. Only three years ago a few European farms were 

 started on the English and Italian sides of the Juba river, 

 and some thousand bales of good cotton have already 

 been shipped to Europe. 



