The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-16
AGRICULrURE IN EGYPT.

Present Productions OF n Land That Ones
Raised Grain for the World
special 10 the indianapolis JournsL
WAsHIxGToS, Sept 15-It would seem from
the reports just received on the subject at the
Department of State that agriculture in >Esyps
has not improved during the last three or four
thonesnd years. The implements used in the
rural districts and the machinery employed IN
some Of the smaller villages are almost iden-
tIcal with those which were used five thousand
years ago. The ass, the COW and the camel
work side by side with women drawing inpie-
ments which were patterned after those used By
Abraham, Mocss and other patriarchs WAC lived
before the days Of Christ One Of the most a.
terssting reports received on the subject is from
Consul Cardwell, and is dated at Cairo. Egypt,
July IL, last In the course Of bis observations
On the subject Of Egyptian agriculture. Consul
Cardwen SAYS
Mature produces q singular country, wherein
have dwelt from the prehistoric times singular
people, the one and the other seemingly absor
slutely dependent upon that and those which
ave been and which must be- The Nile IL not
Lore unalterable IL its course and in its floods
than the agencies of production and reproduc-
symmetry was evolved For thousands Of years
before Moses promised his followers land
drinking water of heaven where the Israel:tish
cul:ivstor would be spared the toll, az IN Egypt,
of watering bis seed with his foot have The
methods OF cultivating the soil been unchanged
Ancient Egyptians even surpassed modern
Egyptians in agriculture The country pro-
duced more, and there was greater public and
private wealth than now. More land was In
cultivation under the Rlsraobs than under the
Pashas; the broad md extended sescosst was
not msrshy waste; Lake Moeris was IN exist
eree: there were more csaais, more irrigation,
more cultivated fields. greater harvests and
greater independence. Egypt was rich ono
powerful, the kingdom Of great conquer
ors, the nourishar Of powerful and
invincible armies. Then she laid other couns
tries under contribution; imposed hundreds Of
thousands of captive foreiSaers TO accomplish
the greatest works Of hun,an creation; had mills
ions OF treasure IN erore and grain for fam
ishing world. Now the superficial srea under
cultivation 10 far less than IL used to be- There
is not so much irrigation. and not as bountlful
production; thero is public and priva g poverty;
the msgnfcence or nation has departed;
Egypt produces no eonquerors, but has beco1fs
the homo OF the conquered Yet. in this
wretched condition, with her people taxed az
they never have been before, simply TO gratify
foreign greed, Egyptians lve and. besides OBJ
tanning sustenance, such as 1t Is. in 1887. they
exported q production valued ct nearly s55, ,000<
900. without discussing the foreign pressure,
which makes Egyptians deny themselves every
human comfort
''In 1857 il is essirna there we're in cultivs-
ton in Egypt 4, 96l. 462 feddans. lone feddan n
1.20 acresl, but the crops cultivated fer the
same year covered 6, 6,134. 364 feddaas- This is
owing to what is known as intensive farming
causing the sarne soils 10 produce more than one
crop in year. There three seasons Of
crop production in Egypt-chitwi, the winter
season; sef, summer nlli. autumn, or season Of
the Nile inun6ation. Therefore, in consequences
of these different seasons OF vegetation in ons
year We find the entire ophivabls soil Of tho
country subjected in the Delta or Bower s1
Egypt, to the production Of four crops in
three years; and in the Nile valley. or Uppct
Egypt, 10 seven productions n six wears. In
certain localities, where the soils are of sunerioe
quality and the conditions of irrigation most
favorable, the proportions above indicated are
surpassed.
Analysis Of crops shows that wheat Il com
paratively more largely produced in Upper than
in Lower Egypt. wniie bersim Is nearly twice ~
extensively cultivated In the Delta. There are
DOW over $4,000 feddans euitivatsd in Lower
Egypt in cotton, and very nearly 10000 in
Upper Egypt Beans are comparatively nearly
twice as extensively cultivated 10 Upper Egypt
as in the delta, while Indian corn il msinly pro-
duced 10 the latter. the reysrss being the case
with doura- Barley Is about evenly cultivated
10 both sections, while rice is almost wholly pro-
duced IN the Delta ard near the sea coast
Twelve-thirtesntbs Of the sugar cane IL pro
duced IN Uppts Egypt Lupinss. tobacco ana