Variation in ifte Price ojid Supply of Wheat, 
239 
It consisted of 39,368 acres, of whicli 13,344 were let. The remainder was 
thus sown : — 
Produce. Acres. 
Bersim (clover) , 2,940 
Beans 5,325 
HaiK-y 2,504 
Cotton 6,904 
Sundries 44 
Helba (very small beans) 1,220 
Flax 440 
Lentils 80 
Sugar Cane 69 
Onions 88 
Gardens 232 
Chick Peas 254 
26,024* 
Cotton seed has also become an important source of i^rofit. In 1858 the 
ardeb of 270 lbs. sold for 25 tarif piastres ; now it sells from 65 piastres to 75 
piastres. Formerly it was not of sufficient value to justily its being sent to 
Alexandria, and it was used as fuel. Now it is all slii])ped to Europe, and 
from it is pressed an excellent oil, ami from the refuse a cake is made which is 
said to be more nutritious than linseed cake. 
The cattle murrain, which commenced in Egypt before it proved so severe a 
scourge in England, destroyed, in the tirsc year, i300,000 head of homed cattle. 
In Lower Egypt almost every animal was destroyed, and it will take years 
to restore the nuinber of animals. 
Fopulation and Industries. — Any estimate of the population of Egypt must 
be merely approximative. The last census was taken in 1846 by order of 
Mohammed Ali and the returns showed a population of 4,463,244 dis- 
tributed thus: Lower Egypt (the Delta) 2,779,667, Middle Egyjit 519,582, 
and Upper Egypt 1,163,995. Since then, to the end of May, 1866, thirteen, 
years showed an excess of births over deaths of 482,219, and six years an 
excess of deaths over births of 96,935. In 1848, when cholera raged here 
fearfully, the excess of deaths over births was 65,493. Thus, since 1»46, the 
excess of births over deaths has been 385,284, which, added to the census 
taken that year, give a total popidation, in Maj^, 1866, of 4,848,528. In 
1865, the deaths from cholera alone are reported officially by the Board of 
Health to have reached the number of 61,192. 
There are few manufactures in the coimtry. The principal are the white 
coarse cotton clothing used by the soldiers ; the blue stuff made of cotton and 
wool, worn by the present women ; silver and gold work, and dyeing English 
cotton goods. The mass of the people are engaged on the soil. Eishing gives 
occupation to a great number , amongst whom are many Maltese, Greeks, and 
Italians. An enormous number of the natives are employed in making railways 
and canals, and the large towns of Alexandria and Cairo, with their European 
population, of course give employment to many. 
It is estinrated that there are 100,000 native servants amongst the Euro- 
peans. Donkey boys and dragomans swarm, and though the English are in a 
minority here, these classes speak English and rarely any other foreign 
language, except a little Italian. 
Fuhlic Works. — Railways and canals are being pushed forward with much 
vigour. In addition to the main lines from Alexandria to Cairo and Suez, 
* The total is incorrect ; 'wheat is probably one of the crops unfortunately 
omitted in the list. — H. E. 
