— 27 — Of these figures sea-freight is alone affected directly by a state of war, though advances in freight enhance customs dues based on a c.i.f. valuation. The example is typical, for the would-be producer has in most instances to add 50 per cent, or more to the catalogue prices of all his machinery and implements to cover freight, customs and charges.

At the time of writing the operation of ploughing is almost unknown to cultivators on our rain-lands, and is still the exception rather than the rule in sakia areas. That this is due, not to any disinclination on the part of landowners, or failure to appreciate the advantages and economies of such tillage, is evidenced by reports from numerous centres of the eagerness with which ploughs are borrowed or bought when offered on reasonable terms.* The substitution of the steam pump has the immediate effect of releasing four trained sakia buUs from each holding previously cultivated, for work in the plough, their collective capacity being not less than a feddan of land a day, equivalent to the work of ten labourers armed with hoes. The immediate result of a supply of cheap implements would be a large extension of the cultivated area, better crop returns due to improved tillage, and enhanced returns from land-tax and ushur.

An attempt was consequently made to obtain a cheap but efficient plough from the United States of America, specially devised to replace the native " mihrat " in Egypt and its equivalent in other countries. This implement is catalogued at 5 dollars, or £1 Egyptian, and is sold by thousands throughout Tropical and South Africa at about 25s. Its landed cost at Khartoum in parcels of one dozen is £E.2.200, which is a prohibitive figure.! Local Goveriunent workshops were consequently invited to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded by the extreme measure of protection afforded, but the excessive costs of imported materials and the high wages commanded locally by skilled labour were reflected by the cost price of £E. 3.440 for a similar plough with inferior wearing qualities, and of £E.8 for ridging ploughs catalogued in England at 50s.

While hundreds of ploughs, harrows and cultivators could be sold to natives in the inamediate neighbourhood at reasonable prices the " turiya" or native hoe, and the " mihrat" or primitive wooden plough, remain the sole implements * Writing from Tokar, the Inspector of Agriculture, Mr. Macdonald, reports that " the keen desire on the part of the better class of cultivators to use labour-saving implements in the preparation of their lands for the cotton crop is most gratifying. Hitherto cultivation of the land prior to the reception of the Baraka flood has only been practised to a limited content. On the removal of this season's crop very considerable work was done by fassing, but it is specially pleasing to note that over 500 feddans have been ploughed for the first time within living memory at Tokar."

The Commercial Agent of the Department of Commerce, U.S.A., has also pointed out that ' ' the development of the country's agricultural resources and the shortage of the supply of labour are bound to create a. demand for agricultural implements . . . Only the simpler implements are likely to be in demand for some time to come, but a good business might be buUt up in such lines as cotton planters, plows, cultivators and harrows."

+ Transhipment and agency charges at Alexandria or Cairo figure largely in costs of importation. Manufacturers have consequently been approached with requests for direct shipment of implements to local ports. The reply has always been that pending the establishment of reputable firms in the Sudan, they have been compelled to entrust their local interests to Egyptian offices, and are unable to entertain direct orders.