Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-10-12
Irrigation In Egypt.

The American COnsul-General at Cal
70 states that the tillable land of Egypt
consists of the delta of the Nile, and a
narrow valley extending from Cairo.
southwark. This valleys generally from
one to ten miles wide, though for about
one hundred and fifty miles above Cairo
it has a width of from ten to thirty
miles Both the delta and the valley,
except so far as. the former borders on
the Mediterranean, are bounded on all
sides by mountainous deserts, and for
more than two thousand miles from its
mouth the river has not the smallest
tributary. In = MI NJ / II Il
| ItIrolls on toward the sea, unlike other
rivers, constantly decreasing in volume.
As there are no rains of any prac-
teal Importance, it sustains all vegeta-
tation, and all the inhabitants of Egypt
and its herds drink of its waters. For
two are three months in the year, a con-.
siderable portion of the country may be
irrigated by the naturafrise of the river,
but with the exception of certain sec
tons, the water is not permitted to flow
freely over the land. 1t is taken from
the river and conducted by canals along
4side the fields where it is to be used, and
Sbfead over the different parcels ofland,
nit IS Sufficiently high, and if not, it is
raised by some of the various modes en-
ployed for that purpose. Small enbank-
ments prevent the water from running
on to the other lands that may not at
the time be in acondition to receive it :;
IN fact, the processes of overfiowing the
Lands, blowing, sowing. and harvesting
are often being carried on simultane-
-ouly in adjoining fields
When the land is sufficiently irrigat-
ed. the water is shut off, or the pump
g. ing discontinued The process of irri-
cation is required to be repeated several
times before the maturity of the crop,
the quantity of the water depending
very much upon the kind of product.
Rice requires large amount of water,
sand wheat. rye and oats much less.
EEhere aretin Egypt S,4o6s miles of irri-
esting canals, of which 1897 are nav
afgabae. There are also great bikes along
the river and its various delta branches,
to prevent thelr overflow, and innu-
,merabie, small bitches and embellishments
everywhere throughout the country. In
consequence of the muddiness OF the
ire dasnt tic ca nsin Q i and the high waters
. 5,,;,ises the =dikes aad render it necessary
TO repair them each year.
however. tbn reapired in raising the
water from the river and canals to the
level of the lands. Dining, drawing,
and pumping are processes going or
rssaely the whole year, and nearly hall
of the whole irrigation is done by these
means rswater Is raised from one OF
two feet to twenty, and sometimes more
! according ito gthe location of the land
and tie height of the river. PFhe follow
, iags is a. description Of the manner il
which water is raised by means OF the
sashadoof." The eshadoof is simply
leather, basket-shaped bucket at
sached to azpole, suspended in7the sams
manner as an ordinary we l-sweepsa Ths
sweep is very Short and the bucket o
water is balanced by mud weight
The instrument is of the rudest charac
.ser, but, by this means water is raised t
She height Of eight or; nine feet witt
, con idefsble rapidity If the water is Il
De raised twenty feet, one man close t
che river raises it. from four or five fee
INTO a basin made of clay in the side o
the bank, and from this point two men
ssact with bucket, raise it about eigh
feet to q similar basin. and two other
I'M the same manner to the required