Farm Topics. CORN IN EGYPT.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 155, 29 May 1900, Page 4

Farm Topics. CORN IN EGYPT.

Aocording to the Live Stock Journal : — The agricultuai future of the Soudan has occupied considerable attention in legislative circles. The land must be cultivated, and capital is reqaired for irrigation, roads and railways, which are the forerunners of trade development. According to Gessi Pasha, an officer under the late General Gordon, " The Soudan might b© the richeat country in the world : its ■climate and soil are adapted for every kind of cultivation. The products are very plentiful, and every kind of corn and vegetables will grow there freely, often yielding two crops a year." Of the neighbourhood of the Nil© approached to the Albert Nyanza, Geaai says that " On the banks one sees many und populous villages" ; cattle are abundant and the inhabitants enjoyed an affluence?, the like of which I never saw in other parts of central Africa* The same observer remarked of the Shilluk country that it was regarded as " the granary of the Soudan." Cattle were, in 1878, so abundant that the owners did not know how many head ihey possessed. Geasi has also placed on the opinion : " I believe thai the province of Bhar-el-Ghazel and Nmm-Niam will soon become the finest jewels of ihe Soudan. .. . „ Eich in grain, especially inaizo. Once so rich in cattlo that in one raid 20,000 head were carried off." When the resources of the Soudan are fully realised -and the Anglo-Egyptian Govornment has thoroughly settled the natives in thei&own land, then •we shall witness an impetus given to the breeding of live stock such as never has been known since the daya of the Pharaohs. Ancient Egypt was famous for camels, horses, asses, cattle and sheep, and in days to come history will repeat itself by not only finding " corn in Egypt," but remounts for cavalry. The export of white pine from Hawke's Bay shows no sign of diminishing, and (sayß the Hdwke's Bay Herald) a big trade is being done in this timber. Of late, the supply of taucks has been much better and exporters are thus enabled to get their timber to port. For the month from April 24 till the Queen's Birthday, the shipment* totalled 1,220,000 ft When the railways thereabouts are extended the trade will expand enormously-