112 If the railway to Kassala could be built there is every reason to believe that some 200,000 acres of land, suitable for cotton cultivation in the Gash .Delta could be cheaply developed in a comparatively short space of time. This railway would have to be extended southwards so as to tap the areas suitable for the cultivation of rain-grown cotton. It would also add greatly to the output from the Soudan of cattle, sheep, gum arable, grain, sesame and other agricultural products.

Cotton of the long staple American type is being successMly grown in Berber province, and an extension of the area under this crop will materially improve the agricultural situation.

Food Grains.

As indicated above the yield of food grains has varied considerably in the different seasons under review, but generaly the crops have been sulFicient to meet the requirements of the population, and in the good years to allow of a very considerable export.

The poor rains of 1918 resulted in a deficiency of the dura crop in the succeeding (year, which, though not sufficient to produce ariything approaching famine conditions, necessitated action on the part of the Government in the direction of regulating distribution and the provision of supplies for certain urban areas.

Insect Pests and Plant Diseases.

There has been no serious trouble from these sources. The usual toll has been taken from certain crops by locusts, asal (aphis), cut-worm, and boll-worm, and the study of the life history of the various pests, and of the measures for dealing with them, has been carried on steadily by the Entomological Section of the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories.

A satisfactory feature in connection with this subject is the success of the measures adopted to control the pink boll-worm v.liich was found to be attacking the cotton crops.

More favourable climatic conditions for dealing with this pest are found in the Soudan, and a greater freedom of action is possible to the Government than in Egypt.

A griculture in 1919.

The year-1919 may be summarised briefly as one of small crops and good prices. Poor rains and a very low Nile flood during 1918 restricted both the areas under cultivation and the average yields of the staple products.

The total area returned as cropped during the year shows a decrease of just over 600,000 feddans on the figures for the previous season.

As is generally the case, the decrease in area is found in the provinces depending on rainfall, and dura is the crop chiefly affected.

The dura crop was found to be barely sufficient to meet local requirements, and prices ro.se considerably during the year.

Cotton 1919.

The total area of cotton in round figures is returned at 56,000 feddans, as compared with 61,000 in the previous year and 88,000 for 1917.

The decrease in area is confined to rain and flood-grown cotton, and is chiefly accounted for by the very poor Baraka flood at Tokar.

The area of cotton grown by means of artificial irrigation showed a slight increase.

The quality of cotton generally grown was such as to maintain the high reputation of Soudan cotton.

At Tokar, as a result of the poor Baraka flood, a very small area was irrigated. Trying winds in the autumn and deficient winter rainfall militated against a high yield, and the crop marketed amounted to only 30,400 kantars (100 lb.) of seed cotton.

The crop of the present 1919-20 season is estimated at approximately 120,000 kantars. Remarkable prices are being realised, the higher qualities having sold in someinstances for £E. 8 and £E. 9 per kantar of 100 lb., unginned, at Tokar market.

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