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farm for testing Egyptian cotton growing. This Gaziera 
country between the two Niles is an ancient flood plain or 
delta formed by the two rivers at flood before the 
Shabluka Gorge was cut down to the present level. 
The Sudan government is allowed to divert "flood 
water" July 15 to February 15 onto this land. They have 
a big steam plant now, but appropriations for a weir up 
the Blue Nile that will give the head for the whole 
region. A few years of experiment shows 500 to 800 pounds 
lint cotton to the acre produced at very low labor cost.- 
The crop is planted after July 15 and as I saw it made a 
fine showing over very large tracts. With a great de- 
velopment, whether the same low priced labor conditions 
will prevail is, of course, the vital question. With the 
immense grazing areas in the back country, it looks as 
though stock feeding and cotton producing rotations might 
be developed that would keep up the quality of land and 
make this, as Khartum people claim, a second Nile delta, 
with cheap transit via Port Sudan and the Suez. If this 
proves true this country will become an enormous factor in 
the fine cotton problem of the world. 
The Dongola province is the great date-producing 
region of Sudan, but they claim that all their important 
varieties come from the Succote country, a rather small 
section below Kerma, now in Haifa province for adminis- 
tration; that is the source for offshoots for purchase as. 
the Dongola people will not sell but are increasing their 
area as fast as they can. 
They have four important kinds: (1) Barakawa, a long, 
slender, very hard, dry date which comprises nine-tenths 
of all their trees. The fruit is said to keep two years 
and is largely sold to the desert tribes. (2) The Gondala 
is a smaller and softer date, yellow before ripening, 
which dries well, but is rich and softer, and sometimes 
sold in Cairo by special contract, a date well worth 
planting. (3) The Kulma or Kosha, a large brown date, 
soft and rich, reminding one of the Tafllelt, but with a 
good deal 'of tough rag, the most rare variety. (4) The 
Bentamouda, the prize of the lot, which will take place 
with the Deglet Noor and ahead of Menakher. Only men of 
consequence have a few trees of this variety and the fruit 
is kept for special festivities and for distinguished 
guests. These men do not sell their offshoots but they 
are highly esteemed gifts, though a few can be bought in 
Succote country, and a very reliable Shiek promises to get 
me a supply in February. I did not try getting in there, 
in fact, it is doubtful if they would have put me in, as 
a Camel Corps is being sent out now to form near Dongola 
to repel raiders from the back country armed with rifles 
