Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-11-20
AGRICULTURAL.



turned in that direction, probably see in
their minds eye little else than the we'll
regulated eccalabeous, in which thousands
of eggs and man to turn them are bottled
up for three weeks, at a temperature of 80
degrees, and gangs of dusky- hued and half
naked wretches passing water from one 20
the other from the muddy Nile to the sugar
| fields on the plains above.
Ten years ago this picture would have
been more or less true, but the war OF the
rebellion in this country bravely changed
affairs there as it did elsewhere.
The high price Of cotton, consequent
upon the cutting off of the American sup
| ply. caused attention to be given to the
inundated lands on the banks OF the Nile,
and cotton culture was rapidly introduced
there. At first everything worked well,
| but the introduction of an additional sup
ply of oxen from Europe was accompanied
| by the introduction Of rinderpeSt, which
carried off not only the foreign importa-
tons, but the home supply as well.
Mr.. George Vile, who superlntends the
| Emperor's experimental farm at Hlncen-
mes, and who has propounded new thee
ries Of fertilization which have excited
more wonder than confidence amcrg- sci
entific agriculturists, thus describes the re-
suit:
"At first confined to a few provinces,
the pest gains ground and spreads like a
vast confagration. Oxen and buffalo die
by hundreds by thousands. The evil pro-
crosses constantly in extent ard in inten
sity. The remains of the animals Obstruct
the canals and form floating islands IN the
Nile And the price Of cotton steadily adj
vances.
"They console themselves for the loss
of the animals-the gold Of the cotton will
pay for all But the ploughiDg. the water
i Dg of the fields, the ginning Of the cot on
without teams-how can it be done p
In few weeks the disorder became ex-
IRENE. And then, that which neither good
advice nor good example could have done
interest did.
':The land in Egypt is limitless plain,
as uniform as the surface OF lake. 1t is
q country predetermined for the steam
plough. Without delay England offers her
machines she sends them by the cargo and
Oh credit.
They try, they hesitate, they feel their
way hut the soil yields itself marvellously
to The application OF these IMPLEMENTS
They becomo bolder; they familiarize
themselves with the new machinery !; they
supplement- it by the use OF steam ire en-
gines and SO we'll that last year I saw, in
the valley of the Nile, machine shops fitted
up as in Europe for the repairing end
keeping in order Of the most formidable
apparatus tina agriculture has ever en-
pioyed. [ saw pioughing done by steam
engines Of fifteen horse power, accomplish
ing al average of hectare two and a-half
acres an hour.
The men who work by day are at even
ing relieved by night-gangs, and the plough
continues its work by the light of lamps
with refectors.
"The plough is followed by rakes which
form three ridges. eighty centimetres
(about two feet wide, on the top OF which
cotton is planted. Oaher machines are at
work close by, converting the cottonwood
into faggots. Others dig canals and al
this machinery is kept in motion by steam,
which is produced by coal brought from
Newcastle and Mar5eilles.
"The machines were coarsely made and
were sold at an excessive price. But all CT
that was detail the land was brought into
cultivation and the cotton repaid every
thing with usury.
'The Feliah made great eyes, struck
with wonder and uneasy, he asked himself,
not without apprehension, where all this
was to end But the profit was there real
enough, represented by shining pieces Of
gold ; so, little by little, the light has en-
he commences to use steam fire engines
in his villages. and associations are being
formed for the purchase OF steam plcughs."
This description refers to 1860. This
year the crop of cotton in Egypt is so large
as to seriously affect the market.
At the last show of the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of England, Messrs Fowler
& Sons, of Leeds, were awarded the prize
cup which had been offered by the Vice
roy of Egypt for a ten horse power steam
plough, especially adapted for countries
where repairs of machinery are not easily
made-costing, all complete, about G7OO.
It is a startling thought, that under the
shadow of the Pyramids. which carry US
back to the earliest barbarous civilization,
two hundred sets OF steam ploughlng ap-
paratus are now in use in a country that is
no better adapted for the improvement
than our western prairies, and among
people who are ignorant Of the first prin
ciples of modern mechanics, an almost
universal familiarity with which consti-
tutes our chief claim to material supre
macy.
A month ago there was an account pub
lished of the capture by bGigands Of
young English farmer, while he was work
ing Steam ploughing apparatus On his
fathers estate near SMYRNA. He was res
cued by the aid of he Ephesus Railroad
and Telegraph Co. Does the Star Of En-
pire always westward wend its way ?"
From the Washington Onion.
Carpet-bag.ery illustrated.
There is trouble in the Radical camp in
Florida. There are not enough offices in
the State for all the patriotic gentlemen
who have gone there to make fortunes out
Of people with whom they have no sym
patty. They have got to quarreling over
the few bones that afford fat picking, and
a bitter feud has sprung up, resulting in
the preferment of articles OF impeachment
against the Governor, Impeachment is
the mode by which Radicals get hold OF
Offices upon which they have set a covetous
eye Gov. Reed is charged with ''falsehood
and lying while transacting business with
members of the Legislature > with ''flling
commissions to officers in blank, and other
irresponsible persons have issued them >
with declaring the seats Of members vacant
when they had not resigned and with
embezzlement, corruption and bribery,
"he having bartered and sold prominent
Offices in tie State to sundry persons for
money to him in hand paid" These are
rroua oborroS op3 II rnISt he remembered