i 9 Q4 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 127 



soil is considered in a condition for the cost is not so great when this fact : ;is 

 introduction of other crops, and as a considered. The engineers in charge 

 rule Egyptian clover is then planted, of the Abukir reclamation estimate the 

 While these crops are on the ground cost of digging the lateral ditches at 3 

 the land is heavily flooded, as much cents per cubic yard, a figure much be- 

 water being used as the plants will 

 stand, so that there is no opportunity 

 for the alkali that has been washed 

 down to return to the surface. 



From all the information which could 

 be gathered, it seems that the value of 

 barnyard grass and Egyptian clover as 



reclamation crops is not due to the fact from $200 to $300 per acre, the latter 

 that they are able to withstand a large price having been refused for a large 

 amount of salt, but to the fact that they tract recently reclaimed at Abukir, 

 are very shallow-rooted,, growing in the Much of the newly reclaimed land is be- 

 immediate surface soil which has been ing rented to individual farmers at from 

 washed free from salt, and are adapted $10 to $30 per acre per year, depending 

 to a very wet soil. Egyptian cotton, upon the state of the reclamation, 

 however, is a deep-rooted crop, its roots 

 growing down into the subsoil, which 

 is still charged with salt. Therefore 

 the Egyptian cotton is actually more 

 resistant to salt than the other two re- 



low that for similar work under Amer- 

 ican conditions ; but where tile are used 

 our ditching can be done as cheaply, for 

 ditches for tile are not dug so wide as 

 open ditches and our workmen are more 

 efficient. 



Thoroughly reclaimed land is worth 



CROPS GROWN DURING RECLAMATION 

 FROM ALKALI. 



Crops are generally planted the first 

 year of reclamation. In soils where 



olamation crops, though the best grades the alkali content is high, it is neces- 



of cotton are not produced on salt sary to wash the land six months or a 



lands. year. The first crop planted is samar 



The total cost of this reclamation (Cyperus l&vigafus}, a rush used for 



work is given as $18.30 per acre, but it mat-making. 



varies from this amount up to $25 or This plant is set out at intervals of 



$30 per acre. This latter amount, how- 1 8 inches and is kept constantly under 



ever, includes the cost of the original water, much as rice is grown. It has 



purchase of the land, cost of live stock, an advantage over rice in that it can 



tools, buildings, taxes, water distribu- go without water for a period of ten or 



tion, management, seed, harvesting, and twenty days and suffer no damage, 



all expenses incident to the work. It Where the land is very salty, a poor 



will be seen that the greater part of these stand and yield is often the result, but 



expenses would be incurred in taking almost invariably the plant yields 



up new land anywhere, and should not enough to be profitable, and where 



be included in the cost of actual recla- good yields are secured the product is 



mation from salt. It is very difficult to worth from $50 to $75 per acre. As 



obtain figures as to the actual cost of stated, in nearly every case a profitable 



ditching, washing, and farming until crop of samar is obtained the first year, 



the land can be made to pay expenses On the worse land, however, it has 



and a reasonable interest on the capital sometimes been necessary to wash the 



invested, but it is thought that this fig- soil a full year before a crop could be 



ure does not exceed $15 per acre. gro\vn. This is particularly true of 



It should be remembered that the those spots which contain sodium car- 

 cost of labor in Egypt is very low. The bonate or black alkali, 

 ordinary farm laborer receives $5 per After a crop of samar has been grown, 

 month, and labor by the day is paid 10 the land is in much better condition, and 

 or 15 cents. Women and children take various crops are then planted, accord- 

 part in the minor field operations and ing to the taste of the cultivator. Ro- 

 receive from 3 to 5 cents a day. Such tatious have been adopted for use during 

 labor is, however, not as efficient as the reclamation, of which the following 

 American labor, and the difference in have proven useful and successful : 



