— G —

Mean annual rainfall will determine the latitude of larger agriculturiil

provinces, within which further subdivision should be based on considerations

of soil, contour and natural drainage, labour supply, transport facilities,

occurrence of timber and seasonal distribution of rainfall. The following notes

embody preliminary observations made by the writer during tours of inspection

in the Dongola, Berber, Khartoum, Blue Nile, White Nile, Upper Nile and

Mongalla Provinces, and represent a provisional attempt to systematise the

agricultural problem.

Eain-farming over areas with a normal precipitation of less than 300

milhmetres is of so speculative a character as to call for suppression rather than

encouragement. The total or partial failure of crops with attendant losses of

seed and labour at longer or shorter intervals, must necessarily discount any

effcj-t to introduce improved methods of cultivation. The periodic starvation

of hvestock dependent on a precarious rainfall for grazing, must similarly

prohibit the introduction of improved types showing early maturity, fine carcase

or better milk-producing qualities. Such characteristics can only be displayed

where there is abundance of suitable food and proper conditions of management,

including protection from extremes of climate.

Northern Province.—North and north-west of a hne drawn through Erko-

weit, Kassala, Kamhn, Kawa, El Eahad and El Obeid, all our efforts and

resources should be concentrated on the development of improved systems of

agriculture based on garf, sakia, basin and pump irrigation respectively. It

should be recognised at the outset that each system has its distinctive problems

and difficulties caUing for individual examination. The staple crops in this

province will probably continue to be Egyptian and American cotton, dura,

wheat, beans and dates. Evidence is accumulating in support of the contention

that dairying and the finishing of store cattle and sheep drawn from the southern

districts, must play an important part in this area as a means of exploiting

restorative crops, such as lubia and berseem, to the best advantage. The

breeding of horses, ostriches and an improved type of milch goat should also

figure largely in future developments.

Central Province.—South and south-east of the former area, a second

agricultural province may be demarcated as characterised by a mean annual

rainfall ranging between 300 and 600 milhmetres, with a southern boundary

passing through Gedaref, Mafaza, Abu Naama, Melut and Telodi. The seasonal

distribution of some 15 to 20 inches of rain within seven consecutive spring

and summer months, renders possible satisfactory rain cultivation in many parts

of the area. Supplementary irrigation is, however, a marked feature, and

includes the control and distribution of delta floods at Tokar and Kassala. In

the southern Gezira a rainfall of some 400 millimetres occurring during the