Ill CJ.i-J Three good rains and two high floods in five seasons may, however, be regarded as a more lortunate coincidence than the Soudanese cultivator is accustomed to ■expect.

The areas cultivated are returned as follows ;— 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Feddans. 2,463,972 1,489,574 2,084,785 2,200,811 1,669,810 The area of land cultivated during the last two years is analysed as follows :■ 3918.

1. Irrigation by artificial means from the river .. 2. Irrigation by natural agency— (a.) By flood or rise of river (&.) By rain ..

Total ..

' B’eddaus, 111,065 102,545 1,456.200 1,669,810 Feddans.

114,781 225,030 1,861,000 2,200,811 The area shown as irrigated by artificial means is made up as follows j By native methods. By pumps.

1919 1918 27,512, including 10,400 feddans summer water. 26.660, including 10,200 feddans summer water.

The very large increase in the area cultivated in good seasons is a most valuable index of the productive capacity of the native cultivator, when conditions are favourable, and the strongest possible argument in favour of schemes of development designed to make such condifions permanent, by the provision of irrigation to supplement rainfall, or the construction of control works to regulate the inundation of areas affected by the floods referred to.

Cotton.

The high prices which, have prevailed for all- kinds of agricultural produce have had a stimulating effect in various directions, and particularly in regard to cotton.

Although the difficult situation due to the war has prevented any large extension of the area under cotton, steady progress has been maintained in regard to this crop.

At Tayiba and Barakat in the Gezira area, the Soudan Plantation Syndicate has continued to cultivate a considerable area successfully. The average yields and the quality of the cotton produced during the period under review nave been considerably better than the figures on which the financial results of the Gezira irrigation project were estimated. This, and the higher range of prices ruling, and likely to continue, combine to make this scheme of development a very promising proposition, and its early operation a matter of great importance to the Soudan.

Other important schemes for the development of cultivation are the building of the Tokar Railway, the control of the Baraka flood, and the Kasala Railway, rpi • Tokar Railway is already provided for financially, as mentioned above, ihis line will give direct and rapid access from Tokar to the sea-coast, and should prove an immense saving of time and expense.

_ The control of the Baraka flood, whereby the cotton-growing area at Tokar is irrigated, is receiving close attention, and an expert has been sent to report on the possibility of control works; but it is a difficult problem, and it will probably take some tnpe for an adequate scheme to be devised. Makeshift schemes have been tried and have met with partial success from time to time, but for proper development a comprehensive project is necessary.

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