NA TURE 



[February 24, 1910 



THE AGRICULTURE OF MODERN EGYPT. 

 Text-Book of Egyptian Agriculture. Edited by G. P. 

 Foaden and F. Fletcher. Vol. i. Pp. 320. (Cairo : 

 Ministry of Education, 1908.) Price 30 P.T. 



THE introduction of agricultural schools and colleges 

 into countries where agriculture has hitherto been 

 nothing more than a tradition must inevitably lead 

 to the production of a number of text-books specially 

 written for particular countries. Although the same 

 broad principles hold everywhere, the factors com- 

 ing into play are so numerous that the student cannot 

 apply the principles to particular cases until he has 

 had considerable experience in the analysis of agri- 

 cultural problems. He must, indeed, learn his prin- 

 ciples through the local practices, and no matter 

 how sound a book may be, its usefulness is very 

 limited unless it is well furnished with local applica- 

 tions. 



The present volume is the first attempt yet made 

 to teach agricultural science through Egyptian illus- 

 trations. The volume before us deals with soils, irri- 

 gation, land reclamation and manures. A second 

 volume is promised dealing with crops, fungoid and 

 insect pests, and animals. The services of several 

 contributors have been enlisted. 



The general result is distinctly satisfactory ; the 

 student gets the kind of information he wants, and 

 probably forms a more intelligent appreciation of the 

 principles of his subject than would otherwise be pos- 

 sible. The book is also useful to the non-technical 

 •reader interested in Egypt, because of its accounts of 

 the land-development methods now in process of 

 application. 



The opening chapter deals with the Egyptian 

 climate and its effect on crops. Then follows a long 

 chapter on the composition and properties of soil in 

 relation to plants, and afterwards we turn to the more 

 special Egyptian part, which is very interesting. 

 The valley of the Nile is bounded by high land said 

 to be incapable of cultivation ; the population is essen- 

 tially agricultural and shows no sign of emigrating 

 ■southwards to the .Soudan ; in consequence, the agri- 

 culture of Egypt must develop on intensive lines. 

 The area of land is being increased by 'reclaiming the 

 lakes and their margins and the waste lands of the 

 interior; it is calculated that another 25 per cent, 

 can still be added to the present cultivatable area. 

 Drainage, reclamation, and irrigation of land are 

 therefore described in considerable detail. The water 

 is either pumped or syphoned out from the lake; then 

 the canals and drains are completed, and next the 

 land is washed with the Nile flood to remove salt, of 

 which all but the last i or 2 per cent, can be readily 

 removed. Finally, the land is levelled to facilitate 

 irrigation; this is done by means of a scoop, but is 

 very expensive and laborious. It is then ready for 

 cultivation, but as it may contain i or 2 per cent. 

 of salt a small millet ("dineba"), useful for fodder, 

 and capable of withstanding salt, may be grown as a 

 first crop, or, if the conditions are more favourable, 

 rice. In the Wady Tumilat a reed known as samar, 

 and used for making mats, &c., is largely cultivated 

 for this purpose. If dineba or rice grow successfully, 

 NO. 2104, VOL. 82] 



the second stage may be entered upon with a crop of 

 berseem, or Egyptian clover, which enriches the land 

 in nitrogen and organic matter, two defects from 

 which it suffers. The process is now complete, and 

 cotton or other crops can be taken ; the land has 

 not, however, attained its maximum productiveness, 

 but will go on improving for several years. Bad 

 spots must be improved by alterations in drainage, 

 extra washing, or ploughing. 



The composition of the solid matter brought down 

 by the Nile naturally receives attention. On an 

 average it contains 013 per cent, of nitrogen while 

 the river is in flood, but five or six times as much in 

 the months of low Nile. Speaking generally, Egyptian 

 soils are said to be deficient in nitrogen and also in 

 phosphoric acid, but only occasionally in potash. 



The general chapter on soils reveals a defect from 

 which this type of book must suffer. The subject- 

 matter is in places rather out of'date, while statements 

 are often made on very slender evidence. Far too 

 much is made of an alleged acid excretion from the 

 plant root; there is really no evidence that anything 

 except carbonic acid is given off. Sulphate of 

 ammonia is incorrectly said to be of no value as 

 manure unless nitrifying organisms are present. Salts 

 are stated to diffuse upwards in the soil even when 

 there is no upward movement of the soil water. The 

 existence in the soil is assumed of waste products of 

 plant life injurious to other plants. Other instances 

 might be quoted. These things can, of course, be 

 put right in subsequent editions, but it is in the 

 direction of keeping the strictly general and scientific 

 matter up to date that writers of local text-books will 

 find their chief difficulty. 



THE BINNENTHAL. 

 La ValUe de Binn (Valais). Etude giographique, 

 giologiquc, mineralogiquc, ct pittoresque. By 

 L^on Desbuissons. Pp. viii + 328 and map. 

 (Lausanne : Georges Bridel et Cie., 1909.) Price 

 10 francs. 



THE Binnenthal, a valley in the south of Switzer- 

 land on the Italian border, is little known to 

 the many English people who yearly visit that delight- 

 ful country. It was "discovered " more than twenty- 

 five years ago by a well-known member of the Alpine 

 Club. He loved the quiet and beauty of this valley, 

 as well as the numerous walks and climbs ; when his 

 friends asked him to describe it, his answer was, 

 "There is no glacier there and' no alpine glow," and, 

 thanks to his reply, the valley has remained unspoilt 

 by the tourist crowd. 



For the last ten years the Binnenthal has attracted 

 the special attention of mineralogists on account of 

 the discovery of more than twelve minerals new to 

 science ; some of these consist only of a few minute 

 crystals of which there is not yet sufficient material 

 for a chemical analysis. 



M. Desbuisson has produced, with the able assist- 

 ance of numerous men of science and writers, a very 

 interesting account of the natural and local history of 

 the Binnenthal. This book contains a number of 



