FOREIGN AGRICULTURE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 187, 12 September 1914, Page 12

FOREIGN AGRICULTURE.

METHODS IN EGYPT. In the Canterbury College Hall last evening, under the auspices of the. Philosophical Institute; Mr H. T. Ferrar delivered an interesting address upon "Scientific Agriculture in Egypt." In introducing the speaker, Dr Chilton recalled that Mr Ferrar was not unknown to Christchureh, as he was geologist to Scott's first Antarctic expedition and spent some time in the city upon his return in 1904. % WATERING EGYPT. The speaker dealt interestingly with the water supply of Egypt, which had the greatest influence upon, their soil fertility. By the aid of v:srps he demonstrated the tracts of good land which lay in the Nile Valley, and explained the various drainage schemes Earl Kitchener had inaugurated. . The rain of Egypt was. derived chiefly from moisture from the South Atlantic drawn by the Congo basin. The flood years of the Nile tended to give ere-, dence to the.Biblical story of the-seven fat years and the seven lean years.' Since 1820 much of the country;had? been irrigated. •.. . ; , 'TTHE ; ASSOUAN ' The gave an excellent dd* scri])tion of the Assouan dam, which had taken two months to fill, and there was a constant fiow into it, so that the demands of the cotton crop could be supplied. The new dams proposed in the Soudan or Abyssinia were designed to increase the low station supply, 'inorder that the crops in the lower part of the delta migtit beincreased. Tho question of drainage in irrigation was one that should not be lost >ight of, and Mr Ferrar issued a word of warning in connection with the Central Otago scheme, that it should not be like some of the Australian schemes, where faulty engineering and consequent soakage had waterlogged thousands of acres of land. EGYPTIAN CROPS.

Sorghum, which is now being used by dairymen in New Zealand iargely, was one of the chief crops of the Egyptians. Egyptian clover, Mr Ferfar suggested, might be of use k to New Zealand. Other crops were lentils, onions, and garlic. The total co.itou crop ; of Egypt was now valued at thirty millions. An acre cost about £5 to culti : rate, and generally yielded from .£1 5 to £2O. The ; lecturer showed a series of lantern slides illustrating the more important drainage works and e rowing crops of Egypt. Upon the motion of Mr it. Speight a vote of* thanks was accorded Mr Ferrar, after questions had f been answered.