Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-29
IRRIGATION IN EGYPT.
Success in Retaining Worthless Land
There.

SQSCCSS nSVtdtFliT1A 60U0
There.
The extraordinary commercial possible
ties of the great irrigation project in
which the Government Of the United
States is now engaged are well illuStra-
ted by data gathered in Egypt by Prof.
Thomas NJ. Means of the Department ~
Agriculture. who cites the case of the
Abou kir Company Of Alexandra. cor
poration which obtained from the Egyp-
tan Government the title to q tract OF
land regarded as utterly worthless be-
cause OF excess of water and the pres
ence Of great quantities of alkali. which
has reclaimed approximately 15.cyo acres
and whose dividends have gradually risen
from per cent. to 4o per cent per annum
within a period of few years. The land
cost the company nothing to start with.
but the irrigation and underdrsinage en-
tailed an expense of from So to 80 per
acre. To-day the land is renting for So
per acre per anEum, and none can be
bought outright ior less than 500 per
acre, the figure at which the last sales
were made.
The tract now undergoing reclamation
by the Abou Kir Company contains oo,5C0
acres. in the days of the Romans it was
noted for the excellent quality OF the
wines made from it's grapes and was one
Of the most valuable regions in ancient
Egypt.
Alter the Arabian conquest il was per-
n1itted to ''go back to use the local
term, ano as result became flooded with
swamp water. which left deposits of
aikali double in strength those on the
western lands OF the United states,
which the Federal Government hopes 70
reclaim. This case is not an isolated one,
according to Professor Means. y large
portion Of the territory OF Egypt IS now
undergoing reclamation, ana II was 70
study the methods which have yielded
such remarkable results that Professor
Means journeyed to Egypt and spent the
hottest months of the year inspecting
the irrigation and undertakings systems.
In the land of Goshen, lying between
the Nile and the Red Sea, and famous IN
biblical history as the region to wnicn
the Israelites were assigned by Pharaoh,
the Egyptian Government, is now en-
gagged in a gigantic reclamation project.
Profiting by the example OF enterprlsln5
priva.e companies, the authorities have
determined to reclaim an immense area
which has long suffered from lack OF
sufficient moisture and which was, II Was
supposed. rendered utterly worthless by
a canal dug by the engineers construct
ing the Suez Canal for the purpose or
supplying fresh water to the large force
of workmen engaged in that Undertaking.
The canal was not carefully constructed
and the seepage was OF unusual pTopot-
TONS. Reaching the alkaline deposits
which underlie the entire area, the water
brought them to the surface in such
quantities as to make the soil absolutely
arid.
two canals at different attitudes. one
will supply fresh water for irrigation.
and the other viii carry away the ;llkdN
drawn off by the drains. which VIII be
placed a bout four feet below the surface
and $50 feet apart During the first year
it will be necessary 10 keep the surface
saturated and no crop can be grown
but immense quantities OF alkah VII! &c
washed out and into the Red Sea Ihe
second year forage crop can be raised,
and after that the usual crops of Egypt
corn. wheat and cotton-cdn be grown
.Eaas .N-
in great abundance II the course OF tiiis
work the surveyors discovered the well
preserved remains of an irrigation canal,
constructed by one OF the Fnafoahs, q
description OF which is 10 be found III
Herodotus The officers In charge are
now working on the problem Of restor-
ing portions OF the original aQueducl LOT
present use.
efforts of the Egyptian photographic Ell
glneerS VINO. by the way, are mostly
r,nglshmen. have been crowned. is the
result OF years of careful ana expensive
and they cheerfuily fur
nished TO the representative OF the Amer
lean Government every facility for pro-
fitting Ly the knowledge thus attained,
and avoiding the otherwise inevitable
mistakes.
United States where irrigation alone VIII
prove sufficient without the underdra9n-
age necessary In Egypt, but some areas
OF the greatest value because OF their
will require the dual treatment.
The irrigation bill passed at the last
session OF Congress provides for the es-
Establishment of reservoirs and the con-
struction OF distributing bitches in sufti-
cient number TO permit OF the use OF
the water thus stored, but there Is ne
provision made for the undcrdrainage ot
The more alkaline soils. This will have
to be done by private capital, although
the bureau OF soils OF the Department OF
Agriculture is already making demonstra-
ton experiments to prove the efhcacy
Of the system in various sections OF the
West. IL one instance, in the san
Joaquin Valley, single irrigation had.
at last reports. removed fifty-iive tons
of alkali from a single acre and the
drains were still running. There are hum
dreds OF thousands of acres in this val
ley which it is reasonable to assume Will
Weld to the Observation-Disclosures
treatment and which will double and
treble in value as soon as the alkali has
been removed.
The application of this system will add
to the area which will become
susceptible OF cultivation as a result OF
the Hansborough- Newlands irrigation
bill. and every acre will add enormously
to tie aggregate wealth of the country.
for not only is the land now saturated
with alkali most fertile in plant food,
but the possibility of applying water To
the ground crops as needed in itself
greatly increases the yield.-W Washington
Star.