1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



125 



inches) wide at the bottom, and 125 

 centimeters (49 inches) wide at the top. 

 The distance between the drains is 50 

 meters (164 feet) . These lateral drains 

 subdivide the land into areas 150 by 50 

 meters (492 by 164 feet), containing 

 about 1.83 acres. This tract is called 

 a ' ' gata ' ' and is the unit used in rent- 

 ing the land. 



The second plan (Fig. 2) shows the 

 system of canals and drains in use in 

 other parts of the reclamation work. 

 The main difference between this and 

 the first plan is that the secondary drains 

 run beside the secondary canals and 



general expenses and cost of pumping 

 plant. 



LEVELING THE LAND. 



One of the most essential parts of the 

 reclamation system is the leveling of the 

 land so that each field or " gata" will 

 be perfectly level, and when flooded uni- 

 formly covered. There are two methods 

 of leveling in use at Abukir. The first 

 method is to use scrapers drawn by bul- 

 locks or buffaloes. These scrapers are 

 very similar to the common scoop scraper 

 in use in this country, but are of wood 

 braced and protected by iron bands and 



FIRST STEP IN RECLAMATION. DITCHING ALKALI LAND. 



serve as infiltration drains to catch the 

 water which seeps from these canals. 

 The tertiary drains are 300 meters 

 long. 



In this plan a smaller amount of 

 ditching is necessary, and where there 

 it enough slope to permit the use of 

 such long drains, this system is to be 

 recommended. 



The land is so level that little fall can 

 be had. The main drains and canals 

 have a fall of about i in 20,000, or 3^ 

 inches to the mile. The laterals and 

 sublaterals are almost level. 



The costjaf this canalization is about 

 $12.50 per acre. This includes also 



with an iron cutting edge. Work with 

 these is slow and laborious, but where 

 labor is as cheap as in Egypt, and where 

 it is so difficult to teach the natives 

 to handle improved machinery, these 

 home-made scrapers have proved very 

 successful. 



The second method of leveling is that 

 of leveling under water by drawing a 

 long board, on which the driver stands, 

 across the field, while it is flooded with 

 water to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. This 

 method is cheaper than the first method, 

 but can not be used the first year the 

 land is flooded, because the soil is then 

 very soft and boggy. 



