GIFT OF AtiRIC. LIBRABI MINISTRY TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC 8El WORK ft CONNECTION WITf EGYPTIAN MAIZE, PRIO* : P,T, 1 GR&ANlZimON OF THE MINIS" IAIRO, EGYPT. Mints! e: Under.Secretsry of State. ConsuWng-AgrlceUurisf . Inspector- General W. Cartwrlght, IVKA, T. L. Smith. J. Wright. R. W. Brigstocke. H.E. Ahmed Helmy Pasha. J. Hairit Q. C, Dudgeon, F.E.S., Vice-President of the Internationi* I Association of Tropical Agrioviitnre, Correspondent of the Internationa! Institute of Agriculture, Borne, eto, A. T. WleKiilop. PROVINCIAL INSPECTORS. J. D. Shepherd. H. IV!. Heaid. C. A. Williams. T. E. Bayne-Jardlne. Ibrahim Bey Fahmy. Daoud Eff. Fat'hl. Mohammed Eff. Kamel. Mohammed Eff. Oaman. Bnioffloiogists AOrVUNlSTRATIVE AND STATISTICAL SERVICE. Sadik Bey Henein, ENTOWJOLOGICAL SECTION. L, H« Gough, Ph.D., F.E.8* >ailbert Storey, B.A., F.E.S. E. W. Adair, B.A., F.E.S. t" Director Saperintendent ... HORTICULTURAL SECTION. T. W. Brown. F. C. Walslngham. C. S. Crouch. BOTANICAL AND MYCOLOGICAL SECTION, QIZA. (Cotton Breeding Farm <•: dizn.) B, G. O. Bolland, B.A. ^1 CHEIVIICAL LABORATORY. ... F. Hughes, F.O.8. COTTON SEED DISTRIBUTION. A. S. Merton. BUREAU OF C01VIJV1ERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Directed by tbs Consulting- Agriculture. VETERINARY SERVICE. PathotogfcM Veterinary liup«cton ) 1 . Littlewood, Rfl.R.C.V.S. Egyptian Government Delegate International Quarantine - Board, Egypt. F. E. Mason, M.R.O.V.8. H. Cooper, M.R.C.V.S. ) H. Mason, SVi.R.C.V.S. de R. Gordon, M.R.C.V.S. F. W. TrydeSi, iW.R.C.V.v. SCHOOL VETERINARY MEDICINE. D. S. Rabagllatl, B.So., A0rlc. (Edln.), WI.R.C.V.8. HIGHER SCHOOL Of- AGRICULTURE, GIZA. Ernest Shearer, FV1.A., B.So. G Burns, B.Pf- J.'w. McPherson, B.A., A.R.O.So. J. R. ;on, M.A., B.So. Aiphonse M. Qreisa. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, EGYPT. TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SERVICE. Bulletin No. 9. (BOTANICAL SECTION.) WORK IN CONNECTION WITH EGYPTIAN MAIZE, (ZEA MAYS, L.) BY GERALD C. DUDGEON, F.E.S., CONSULTING-AGRICULTURIST, ETC., AND B. G. C. HOLLAND, B.A., BOTANIST TO THK MINISTRY OP AGRICULTURE. (Submitted fur printiny an April 12, 1910.) CAIRO. GOVERNMENT PRESS. To be obtained, either directly or through any Bookseller, from the GOVERNMENT PHESS, Buldq ; or from the SALE-BOOM, Old Ismailia Palace, Sharia Qasr el Aim. 1916. PRICE : P.T. 1. MINISTKY OF AGRICULTURE, EGYPT. Bulletin No. 9. (BOTANICAL SECTION.) WORK IN CONNECTION WITH EGYPTIAN MAIZE, BY G. C. DUDGEON, Consulting-Agriculturist, etc. Although maize has only been established as a cultivated crop in Egypt for about a century and a half, soon after the introduction of the plant it became evident that the local conditions were particu- larly favourable to it, especially in those areas where water was able to be given at frequent intervals during the period of its growth. The rapid establishment of maize as an important crop in the rotation employed in Lower Egypt was coincident with the development of the perennial canal irrigation system, which only became possible by means of the erection of barrages on the Nile. In accordance with the extension of the perennially irrigated areas, maize has rapidly taken the place of millet (Sorghum mdgare), with which only a few feddans are still planted in Sharqia in Lower Egypt, and practically only the non-canalised areas of Upper Egypt bear the crop. Originally short-period maizes emanating from Syria and India only were employed ; these were of the " flint " type, and were grown as summer as well as Ntti crops. American maizes were introduced later, and proved to be much heavier croppers than those which came from the East. These latter have now very largely replaced the former. Although several kinds have been tested, a white dent maize with from eight to twelve rows is the pre- vailing type grown. In modern classification this would probably be included in the same category as " Hickory King." The local name applied to it is Neb el Gamal (Camel's tooth), under which market quotations are always made ; the name Mabruna being that applied to the flint maize of the older introduction. Until the present year, maize has not been largely exported from Egypt, but a good external demand was created during the first year of the war, and this has steadily continued. The estimated production of maize in 1914 was 12,132,334 ardebs* grown on 1,698,606 feddans, and that of 1915 13,650,432 ardebs grown on 1,837,516 feddans. The export figures for the past three years will serve to show the steps which have been taken in the direction of supplying other markets : — 1913 1914 1915 English Possessions in the Mediterranean Tripoli Ardebs. 14 8 Ardebs. 16 9 Ardebs. 11,163 Turkey 1,041 1,129 574 England 1,076 67,003 France 2,974 93 348 Greece •',295 46 565 Italy 37 74 387 Massawa 30 31 Montenegro 5,559 Rhodes 40 Servia 249 Other countries 8,931 Total Ardebs ... 1,063 7,566 307,910 Total in English Tons ... 229-15 1,042-56 42,428-54 * 1 ardeh of maize = 140 kilos ; 7'46 ardebs = 1 English ton. FIELD TRIALS WITH EGYPTIAN MAIZE IN 1915, By B. (i. ('. BOLLAND, Botanist to the Hinittry of Agriculture, With a view of studying the various types of maize grown in the country and of arriving at a proper definition of the different kinds, samples of twelve varieties were sown at Giza in the summer of 1915. According to Sickenberger* there were eighteen varieties in the country in 1900 and, as will be seen by the result of one year's work, there are now just as many or more varieties grown, not by themselves, but all mixed together. Selection and breeding work has therefore been started in order to improve the quality and yield of the crop and obtain pure varieties. The following are the names of the varieties which were sown between July 20 and 31. Variety. Area. . Locality from where Seed W»K ulil.lihril. Ainencutit F. Q. 8. 0 (> 10 AffonuCtfl Baladi 0 7 '.» Gritly 0 8 C) Afordli 0 9 15 Neb el Gamal Belndgi or Beltdgi Biltani 0 !> 15 •2 18 0 0 12 2% Matui, Miniu Mudiria. Qena. Safra ... 195 Siwi 1 15 19 Variety with red ears „ „ dark-red ears... A yellow dent variety A small plot » » 5) )J Upper Egypt Sudan. The following descriptions are given by Sickenberger : — Americdni. — Cob white. Grain white, concave and convex mixed, dented. Baladi. — Cob white. Grain white and convex, not dented. * SlCKENBKBGKR, Mrm. fnxt, Kygpt., IV, pp. 303-30R (1901). I Mordli. — Cob pale red. Grain white and yellow mixed, dented. Neb el Gamal. — Cob white. Grain white, dented. Safra. — Cob white. Grain bright yellow, compressed not dented. The red varieties are given under the names of : — (1) Balady Berbery ahmar. (2) Balady Fayumy hamra. The grain of the former is orange-red in colour and the latter brick-red and rather white in the middle. The cultivation was normal and each variety was treated in exactly the same way. Nitrate of soda was applied just before the second watering at the rate of about 120 kilogrammes per feddan. Harvesting was started on October 23 with the Siwi variety and finished on November 16 with the Gritly. The following table shows the approximate number of days each variety took to mature :— Variety. Number of Days. Siwi.., 8)5 Safra ... 90 lilltani ... 9& !>5 • Alorali 96 Xeh el GaiiKil Baladi ... 97 100 Beltiagi or Belttfy (Uritly .101 106 When the ears had been threshed the grain was weighed, with the following results in ardebs per feddan :— Variety. Weight of Grain. Belndgioi Beltagi Neb el Gamal Alonili 9*95 i)'LS 8'85 Hiltdni ... . 8'48 Gritly 8-4(1 Safra ... 7*92 Americdni ... (•>-oy Iia.la.di .. 5'58 r> •;$(•) With a view of writing accurate descriptions and forming a key for the identification of the different varieties, detailed observations were taken on the various parts of the plant, namely the stalk, leaves, ears, shank husks, tassel, and grain, but all the white varieties were found to be so mixed that it was impossible to write down anything accurate or definite at the present time. The work has therefore been postponed until further experiments have been carried out. The Safra and Siwi are orange in colour, but there seemed to be no difference between them. The grains are small and undented. The ears are also small, with twelve close-fitting rows of grain, the average weight being 100 to 115 grammes. When the ears of the various white varieties were put in heaps, it was impossible to see any marked difference between them. The average Neb el Gamal ear is larger and has more rows of grain than the other varieties and the average Baladi ear is made up of undented grain, but beyond that it is impossible to say what the differences are, especially as each variety contains ears of all sizes and descriptions. With a view of breeding one or more distinct and pure types of maize, as many different ears as possible were picked out from the various varieties. Each different ear has been numbered, and has had an accurate description written of it. The seed will be sown separately this year to ascertain if it breeds true to its various characters. When several pure strains have been established, the yielding capacity and quality of the grain will be determined, so that only the best strains shall be cultivated. PUBLICATIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. " Agricultural Journal of Egypt." (English and Arabic.) Vol. I, Part I. « « « -I--L* II, II. Vol. Ill, Part I. » » » J-*-. 1) 55 15 J-A» V, Parts I and II. EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. By Gerald C. Dudgeon, F.E.S., etc., Consulting Agriculturist. No. 1 A. "The Great Millet" (Durra Baladi or Durra Raff a) in Egypt. (English.) No. 2 A. "The Ground Nut or Earth Pea (Ful Suddni) in Egypt" (English.) TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC BULLETINS. No. 1. " Report on the First Two Years' Working of the Plant Protection Law." (Law No. 5 of 1913), by G. Storey, B.A., F.E.S. (English and French.) No. 2. " The Nature of the Damage done by the Pink Boll Worm (Gelechia Gossy- piella Saund.)," by Lewis Gough, Ph.D., F.E.S., etc. (English and French.) No. 3 " Note on the Alkaloids of some Egyptian Solanacese," by Frank Hughes, F.C.S., Chemist. (English and French.) No. 4. " The Life History of Gelechia Gossypiella from the Time of the Cotton Harvest to the Time of Cotton Sowing," by Lewis Gough, Ph.D., F.E.S., etc. (English.) No. 5. " List of Egyptian Insects in the Collection of the Ministry of Agriculture," by G. Storey, B.A., F.E.S. (English.) No. 6. " Note on a Machine to kill Gelechia Larvae by Hot Air, and the Effects of Heat on Gelechia Larvae and Cotton Seed," by Lewis Gough, Ph.D., F.E.S., etc. (English.) No. 7. " Work in Connection with Egyptian Wheat," by G. C. Dudgeon, F.E.S. and B. G. C., Bolland, B.A., Botanist. (English.) No. 8. " Work conducted at the Experimental Farm at Giza in Connection with Great Millet and Bersim? by B. G. C. Bolland, B.A., Botanist. (English.) No. 9. " Work in Connection with Egyptian Maize," by Gerald C. Dudgeon, F.E.S., Consulting Agriculturist, etc., and B. G. C. Bolland, B.A., Botanist. (English.) No. 10. " Some Tests of Flour made from Egyptian Wheat," by Frank Hughes F.C.S., Membre de 1'Institut Egyptien, Chemist. (English.) LEAFLETS OF THE HORTICULTURAL SECTION. (English and Arabic.) By T. W. Brown, Director, Horticultural Section. ( No number') " Citrus Trees." No. 1. " French beans (Fasoolia)." 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Asparagus (Kishk Almaz)." Preservation of Dates." Egyptian Arum (Qolqas)." Cultivation o£ Potatoes." Preservation of Apricots." Custard Apple." COLLECTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL CIRCULARS. From No. 1-18. (English and Arabic.) » i» 18—35. „ „ „ „ 36-60. „ „ LAWS AND REGULATIONS. " Regulations of the Boll Worm and Seed Worm Campaign, 1915." (English and Arabic.) "Regulations of Cotton Worm Campaign, 1915." (English and Arabic.) " Regulations of Cotton Worm Campaign, 1916." (English and Arabic.) " Collection of the Agricultural Laws." (French and (Arabic.) " Collection of Veterinary Laws." (French and Arabic.) " Syllabus of the School of Veterinary Medicine." (Arabic and French.) " Syllabus of the Intermediate School of Agriculture, Moshtohor." (English and Arabic.) ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS. "Annual Report of the Veterinary Service, 1913." (English and Arabic.) "Annual Report of the Veterinary Service, 1914." (English and Arabic.) "Report on the Great Invasion of Locusts in Egypt in 1915." (English and Arabic.) EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY' NOTES. " Wheat Rust." (English and Arabic.) "Wheat Smut." (English and Arabic.) "Pamphlet on Ticks and their Relation with Agricultural Animal Diseases." (Arabic.) " Pamphlet on Scale Insects." (Arabic.) BOOKS. "Agricultural Text Book," Part I. (English and Arabic.) "Agricultural Text Book," Part II. (English and Arabic.) " Percival's Botany." (Translation.) (Arabic.) " Inorganic Chemistry." (Translation.) (Arabic.) " Agricultural Chemistry," by Ingle. (Translation.) (Arabic.) " Veterinary Medicine for Intermediate Schools of Agriculture." (Arabic.) Govt. Press 1067-1916-1050' ex.