EGYPT AND SOUTHERN PALESTINE 287 



watered more than once in three days in these dry areas of 

 Southern Palestine. There are no permanent streams south. 

 of the Dead Sea. Along the Wadi Ghuzzeh there are shallow 

 pools, which remain at a certain level on account of the filtra- 

 tion of water through the sandy bottom and from the precipi- 

 tous banks. These sources of supply were invaluable to our 

 Light Horse. One seldom sees a pump or any labour-saving 

 devices on the farms. 



The wheat straw and barley straw are conserved in shallow 

 circular pits, and ensilage making has been practised in this 

 country from time immemorial. 



Sheep are not earmarked or de-tailed. The testes of ram 

 lambs are crushed, and development of the organ ceases. 



The general season for shearing in Egypt is July. The 

 sheep is held in various positions by a couple of natives, and 

 the wool is hacked off generally by rough -looking native-made 

 blades. Some farmers who are near the main irrigation 

 channels swim their sheep a day or two prior to shearing. A 

 few breeds are shorn twice, and are also lambed twice during 

 the year. Wool is always sold through a middleman, who 

 usually ships to England, and makes an unfair margin of 

 profit. Collecting depots are established throughout the land. 



In Sinai one of the most interesting and extraordinary sights 

 is the little market-place right out in the open desert, where 

 Bedouins, as if responding to some " mulga " wire, congregate 

 periodically to sell and exchange their products. Very little 

 money changes hands ; most of the business is on the basis of 

 " fair, exchange no robbery." Sheep, donkeys, etc., are ex- 

 changed for wheat, barley, maize, etc. ; bargains are pressed 

 to the last grain. 



Environment 



The environment of the desert will not permit of much im- 

 provement in sheep. To pack much more wool on the breeds 

 found here would be to impair that extraordinary goat-like 

 constitution, which enables these sheep to live out in the 

 blazing sun, travelling all the while for days without water in 

 search of food. 



On the irrigation areas there is certainly room for better 



